Saotome Ranma, Wiseman
by Maximara
Summary: Under the name Wiseman, Saotome Ranma has been the guiding force of Nemesis for nearly a millennium. Now 1,000 years in the past he and his Black Moon Clan family have a chance to change a world's future for the better as they work on fixing their own present. Ranma and Usagi on the other hand must deal with future versions of themselves and unpleasant revelations about themselves.
1. Chap 01 Getting Lost

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 1 – Getting lost

Saotome Ranma woke up to see a green haired woman sleeping in his bed with him. Years ago this would have sent him into a wild panic but not these days. Getting out of bed Ranma put on his vest of heavy weights as it was the only way he could train anyone without humiliating them. Over the vest went the familiar purple robe of Wiseman advisor, trainer, and one of the two living ancestors of the Black Moon Clan—the royal family of Nemesis. Picking up the Jakokusuishou Ranma completed what had become a daily ritual for nearly 1,000 years.

Looking over at his companion Ranma sighed. Green Esmeraude was so much like her ancestor Tendo Nabiki though instead of money which had no value on Nemesis Esmeraude desired power. Ironically she held a trait common to her other would be suitor Prince Demando's ancestor of not able to decide between Wiseman and Prince Demando she decided she would have both.

Both Ranma and Prince Demando knew about Esmeraude's power fixation and it wasn't unpleasant to wake up to a perfectly willing woman in your bed. At least until she decided to laugh. "Of all the traits of Kodachi she had why did _that_ one have to show up?" Ranma muttered to himself. Ranma shook his head as a familiar Ki signature showed up in his bathroom.

"Wiseman," said the familiar voice of Kōan as the woman ran into the room, "I have wonderous news."

"Oh?"

"The barrier, it's gone."

Ranma paused and let his senses extend till they reached beyond the magical atmosphere of Nemesis. The barrier erected by Neo Queen Serenity to prevent them from leaving Nemesis was indeed gone.

"Get the Black Moon Clan together. It looks like her royal high-mess finally wants to talk."

Several hours later Ranma was speaking to the Black Moon Clan and its personal servants. "The day we have waited for has finally come. Either Neo Queen Serenity has finally seen her way doesn't work or her power has faded with time. Either way we are returning to Earth to pave the way for everyone on Nemesis to finally return to the world of their ancestors."

Ranma then nodded to Crimson Rubeus who joined hands with his cousins Kōan, Bertier, Calaveras, and Petz. Taking out the Jakokusuishou Ranma concentrated tapping into the innate teleporting ability of his old rival's decedents. The next thing everyone knew they were hit with a wild disorientating effect.

"Kuso, if that was what old P-chan went through no wonder he couldn't find his way out of a room with one door," said Ranma as he shook his head to clear it. He then stared in disbelief at the structure in front of him.

"Wiseman?" asked Sa Fulang. "What is it?"

"It's the Tendo home," replied Ranma as he heard familiar voices.

~*~*RS*~*~

Inside the Tendo home a pink haired girl was looking around frantically. "Where's Saotome Ranma?"

"Who are you and what do you want with Ranma?" asked Nabiki smirking

"I'm Chubiusa, daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity," replied the girl as she glanced in Nabiki's direction. "I take it from the hair style I'm addressing Tendo Nabiki."

"You've heard of me?" grinned Nabiki.

"I've read about you," said Chubiusa her eyes narrowing. "Not very flattering stuff either. After she found out that it was you who sent out all those wedding invitations out to the worst people possible your own sister Akane wrote in her diary that you were a mercenary witch who would sell her own soul if it could net you a quick yen."

Nabiki's smile dropped and she frowned.

"Oh my, that is somewhat rude," said Kasumi.

"You're Kasumi," said Chubiusa. "A woman forced into the role of housewife by a father who only cried all the time and didn't have the backbone of a wet noodle. I take that back as it is an insult… to the wet noodle."

"That is my father you are insulting!" fumed Akane sporting a red battle aura.

"Finally we get to Akane who hides the fear of being raped behind a curtain of anger," finished Chubiusa. "That is why Ranma being so much better than you terrifies you."

Akane's aura winked out and she just stared at the girl. "How… How do you _know_ that?"

"I read it or rather _will_ read it in your diary some 1,000 years from now," said Chubiusa. "But I didn't sneak into my mother's room, steal her Ginzuishou, and come back 1,000 years so I could talk to you. I came back looking for the greatest martial artist who ever lived, Saotome Ranma."

"Mind telling us why?" asked a voice as the back door was slid open.

Chubiusa frowned at the robed figure. "Who are you? I thought I knew all the people Ranma faced and knew. You don't fit any of the descriptions."

"I am Wiseman…" said the figure as it stopped and stared at one of the people in the room. "Mom?" asked Wiseman as he looked to the person sitting next to the person he was addressing. "Ranko?" Wiseman then started to giggle, then chuckle, and finally he was laughing hysterically. "That's rich, after 900 years old P-chan's trait kicks in with a vengeance. We are in the right place but the wrong _time_!"

"Wiseman? What is it? What is so funny?" asked a green haired woman who entered into the room.

"We're about 1,000 years in the past, Esmeraude," gasped Wiseman still laughing.

Esmeraude broke into a smile. "Oh that is wonderful. I get to see my other favorite ancestor in action. Better yet we get to stop Nitwit-Queen Simpleton from turning the Earth into her idea of Utopia."

Wiseman finally stopped laughing and removed his hood. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Saotome Ranma better known as Wiseman. Sorry about this."

~*~*RS*~*~

There have been so many Ranma-Sailor Moon crossovers with him as a Sailor Sensei and even one that didn't get past the first chapter with him as Beryl. I thought I would play with the idea of Ranma being a sympathetic Wiseman.

For those of you trying to place this in the two timelines I am assuming that the 38 volume Ranma manga and the 46 episode Sailor Moon first season (the DIC translation dropped six episodes) occurred concurrently with the final battle with Beryl occurring concurrently with Ranma's battle with Sa Fulang.

Roughly this is starts around manga Chapter 227 (Volume 22/20) for Ranma and episode 26 for Sailor Moon.


	2. Chap 02 Getting Directions

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 2 – Getting Directions

Chibiusa along with everyone else just stared. "Ranma?" asked Nodoka slowly standing.

"Not _your _Ranma." said the pinked haired girl. "This one is 1,000 years older and more powerful. I know how I got here but..." continued Chibiusa.

Wiseman gave a humorless chuckle and pulled out a black crystal. "How did I get here? It seems thanks to my Jakokusuishou hopping on to your little Ginzuishou powered time trip."

"The size of that diamond," whispered Nabiki.

"I think my favorite ancestor is drooling," grinned Esmeraude.

"She would," commented Wiseman. "But not because of power but thoughts of money dancing in her head." Wiseman scowled. "The Jakokusuishou has been bound to me ever since I found it about a year after Neo-Queen Serenity exiled my wife and I to Nemesis." Wiseman turned his attention to Chibiusa his expression softening. "But we still have the issue of why."

"There is a very simple reason," growled Chibiusa. "How old do you think I am? Nine, ten, perhaps eleven? Well you would be wrong…by about 900 freaking years. My own mother doesn't even know why much less how to fix it. I found records of the greatest martial artist of his generation and the last person to stand up against my mother and her sailor sensei. The only reason he relented was because of she used his honor against him."

"WHAT?" hissed Nodoka her hand grabbing her sword.

"I don't know where you got that information but I can tell you it is _wrong_." said Wiseman scowling. "I may call her Nitwit-Queen Simpleton at times due to her many faults but I can tell you flat out being dishonorable wasn't one of them. Now letting someone with less honor then Pops operate in her name...well _that_ she was perfectly able to do."

"WHO?" asked Nodoka her eyes burning with anger.

"Sailor Pluto," responded Wiseman the name sounding almost like a curse. "She found out that I had given my word to protect my family no matter what." Wiseman sighed slumping. "She said if I didn't surrender she would kill you and my wife's sister Kasumi."

"I'LL KILL HER!" yelled Nodoka pulling her sword.

"NO!" yelled Wiseman his hand now holding the sword's blade. "You simply do not have the skill, Mom. Even I, after defeating one of the most powerful kami on Earth, didn't have to skill to face her one on one." Wiseman's eyes narrowed "But that was when I was a lot weaker a lot less skilled. Now..." Wiseman's face now broke in to the most horrific smile ever seen on a human face his tone full of menace and malice. "I can properly _thank_ her."

Wiseman's horrific smile softened as he let the sword go revealing a horrific gash in his hand.

"Ranma, your hand!" exclaimed Nodoka horrified.

"Hmm?" commented Wiseman. "This is nothing," he said as the wound healed before their eyes. "My ki based healing was already ridiculous by the time Pops brought me here to the Tendo dojo. The Jakokusuishou has allowed me to push it to level that make my old one look like a white belt stumbling through his first kata."

Wiseman then crouched so that he wasn't towering over Chibiusa. "But I am curious as how you thought my younger self could help you."

"Your English teacher was trained by the same master as your father and she had this ki technique that allowed her to change between a little girl and an adult," said Chibiusa nervously.

"Ah, I see and you thought I also knew the technique and could teach you," commented Wiseman

"Better then going near your father's master," commented Chibiusa wincing.

"I agree with that," grimaced Wiseman. While I did get the ki draining part of the technique down before being sent to Nemesis I didn't get the transformation part down until well _after_ I found the Jakokusuishou." commented Wiseman.

"So you can't help me," pouted Chibius.

"My _younger self_ can't help you but I can," chuckled Wiseman.

"Why? How?"

"Why? Because that is what have been doing ever since becoming Wiseman; I help people become stronger better. As for how, well that is where the Jakokusuishou here comes in." Wiseman sat down. "I discovered that I could use the Jakokusuishou to store knowledge and experience. I use it to create memory crystals that helps Sa Fulang save time going through his phoenix cycle. Direct contact should be even more effective. Simply touch the crystal and I will guide though through the steps."

Chibiusa nodded and touched the crystal with her index finger closing her eyes. Everyone watched as the young girl grew into a stunning woman with a long black dress. Her eyes snapping open Chibiusa looked down and smiled while Wiseman's eyes slowly opened a frown gracing his features. "Yes! No more 10 year old body." She then looked at Wiseman and cocked her head to one side. "What's wrong?"

"The technique has _never_ worked that fast before. Also the Jakokusuishou allows me to see through time. Forward, backward, and sideways. In the another worlds the other histories this transformation had…dark and sinister implications. It is yin ki energy but it did not come from the Jakokusuishou or from myself."

"Perhaps I got it from mother's Ginzuishou," said Chibiusa as she tossed the stone in her hand up and down.

Wiseman continued to frown. "The Ginzuishou is _yang_ focused. It should have not used yin ki energy to cause your transformation. Mark my words there is something _wrong_ here."

"I think you are being a little paranoid," said the woman as she felt her hips. "I definitely need a new name to go with this new body and to also show my break with my mother's ideas. I know-Wicked Lady."

"That choice of name," commented Wiseman as his expression darkening. "Now I _know_ there is something wrong." Wiseman lifted up his own crystal. "When I first stumbled on the Jakokusuishou I didn't think much of what its powers might be. All I knew is it helped with mediation and ki channeling. When I saw my wife and then our children grow old and die while I remained relatively unchanged I realized that it had at best slowed down my aging process."

A young man with claws for hands and feet put his hand gently on Wiseman's shoulder as he crouched next to Wiseman. Wiseman turned. "Something, Lord Sa Fulang? I know I sound like I'm rambling but I do have a point."

"You have been a father, mother, sensei, and friend to me each time I have had to go through my rebirthing cycle. I want to know you are not alone in this." Sa Fulang's eyes narrowed as he looked at Nodoka. "_Any_ of it."

Nodoka frowned at the expression this Lord Sa Fulang was giving her.

"Don't do anything rash," said Wiseman his voice having an edge to it as Ranko frowned in thought.

Sa Fulang laughed. "I did _that_ 1,000 years ago. You tore me to pieces and forced me through my rebirthing cycle."

"Let's be blunt," said Wiseman sadness in his eyes. "I _killed_ you. If not for your phoenix nature you would have stayed dead."

Sa Fulang shrugged his shoulders. "I knew you couldn't come back and I was trying to kill _you_. I nearly kept you from saving the woman you loved. All because I was so wound up in being Lord Sa Fulang phoenix kami of the Phoenix Mountain that I didn't bother to even _listen_ to what you and your friends wanted." Sa Fulang smiled. "Despite all that when my people were threatened you came to help."

"It was my responsibility," said Wiseman.

"And you are _my_ responsibility. The Jakokusuishou lets me remember what happened to me in my previous cycles." Sa Fulang's eyes again narrowed. "I _know_ you. You are only this aloof and distant when you are emotional torn up in side. I saw it when each of your friends and even rivals passed away. Kuso, I tried the same fool thing when Kiima passed away. Ranma, I can tell you from personal experience that just makes it hurt all the more. You told me when I was putting on a brave front for my people when my daughter died that it was better to be Sa Fulang rather than hide behind the mask of Lord Sa Fulang."

Wiseman chuckled. "Who says the sensei can't learn something from the student?" Wiseman reached up and removed his robe. He then removed a vest and then paused. "Stand clear, you guys. I'm tossing this outside. I don't want to give Kasumi a new basement to worry about." Wiseman then tossed the vest into backyard. It then disappeared from view the moment it hit the ground. "Lot easier to fill holes in the yard then it is to repair the floor, again."

A white haired man and several others people knelt where the vest had fallen and frowned as they touched the ground. "This ground isn't sand or stone," said the man.

"It's soil, Prince Demando. The small green things in it are a plant known as grass," smiled Wiseman as he stood. "You will have to excuse my family. Being the outmost planet Nemesis has no native plants or animals. The one thing Nemesis does have is ki infused water. Not only does that water provide enough warmth that the world has an atmosphere it also provides all the nourishment food does."

Prince Demando nodded as he stood looking into the night sky. "At least the sky is familiar."

"That will change come sunrise," warned Wiseman. Gesturing to the outside Wiseman smiled. "I think my mother would like to see my other decedents."

"_Other_ decedents?" asked Nabiki.

"You have already met Green Esmeraude," said Wiseman his smile turning into a smirk. "She is _your_ descendent as well, Nabiki."

Esmeraude chuckled. "Considering the way the family trees have intertwined over the last 900 years I'm descended from all the Tendo sisters." Esmeraude then ran her finger down Nabiki's cleavage. "This one just happens to be my favorite."

"Uh aren't you being a little too friendly?" asked Nabiki nervously. "After all I am your ancestor."

Esmeraude broke in into a familiar laugh that sent shivers down Nabiki's spine. "That fact doesn't stop be from sneaking into Wiseman's bed so why should it stop me from sneaking into yours?"

"Esmeraude is attracted to men and women of power. Don't be surprised if you don't wake up with her your bed in her birthday suit," said Wiseman.

Prince Demando smiled. "It's not the most unpleasant way to wake up in the morning."

"Pervert," Akane muttered under her breath.

Prince Demando looked at Akane and laughed. "I'm also descended from _you_, my dear Tendo Akane. The Black Moon Clan is a family built on merit as much as it is blood. The Ayakashi sisters, for example were just recently admitted to the clan thanks to their years of hard work. Wiseman's Jakokusuishou can deal with the issue of potential mates being too closely related. Thankfully Wiseman has only had to use it twice in the last 1,000 years."

"I think I better do the introductions while I still have people to introduce," chuckled Wiseman. "The white haired man is Prince Demando, clan head of the Black Moon clan and ruler of Nemesis. The black haired man is his brother and our expert in alchemy, Blue Saphir; the two women holding onto Saphir are his greatest creations Veneti and Aquatici. The green haired woman with the power fetish is Green Esmeraude and the red haired man is their generation's Ryu Master and sensei, Crimson Rubeus."

Wiseman then gestured to the four women next to Rebeus who nodded their head as they were introduced. "The four Ayakashi Sisters near him are are from the Joketsuzoku clan and are his current students. The youngest with the black hair done up like two ears is Kōan, the white haired Bertier is the next older sister, Calaveras with red hair is older still and Petz is the eldest sister and recognized elder in training of the Joketsuzoku clan hence the staff she caries."

Wiseman then gestured back to Sa Fulang. "And last but certainly not least is Lord Sa Fulang Guardian of the Black Moon clan and ruler in exile of Phoenix Mountain."

"I am honored," said Sa Fulang bowing. Sa Fulang straitened up and gave a grim smile. "Saotome Ranma or as we know him Wiseman has been the epitome of strength and understanding for nearly 1,000 years." Sa Fulang raised his clawed hands. "One who has looked beyond physical appearance to see what is beneath. One who turned rivals and even enemies into allies and friends. By any reasonable standard Wiseman is a man among men."

Wiseman gave a short chuckle as Prince Demando frowned. "Not all standards of man among men are reasonable or even sane," Prince Demando said his voice taking on an edge his eyes cold. "There are some baka who think it is measured by appearance alone or that is involves behaving with all restraint of a Shikima who had been celibate for a century or a very bored Shokushu," he finished his eyes fixed on Nodoka.

Wiseman sighed. "I know you have your own views of Mom but please remember this was a different time."

"Not was, Wiseman, _is_," said Blue Saphir. "This is no long something we read or are shown through the crystal. The past is now the present. Remember that some of our ancestors were looked down on and even hunted simply because they were called demons."

"Enough of this dancing around the bush," fumed Wicked Lady as she grabbed the Jakokusuishou from Wiseman's fingers and tossed it to Nodoka who caught it. Wicked Lady then frowned when nothing happened.

Wiseman looked over at Wicked Lady and shook his head. "Not that simple. I control what Jakokusuishou shows or provides even if I am not in direct contact with it." Wiseman cocked his head to one side. "But you may be right that she should see some of my life." Wiseman reached over and held Nodoka's hands in his own. Suddenly Wicked Lady reached over and clasped both sets of hands in her own.

**~*~*RS*~*~**

Nodoka blinked as she found herself being hit across the mouth by her husband. "Stop crying like a girl, boy," snapped Genma. "A man among men doesn't cry like a little girl." Nodoka lifted her hand and realized it was a child's hand.

She then found herself looking down at an empty rise bowl. "You will have to defend your food if you want to eat, boy," snapped Genma.

A feeling of intense loneliness hit Nodoka as she found herself on top of an okonomiyaki cart her husband running with a small child trying to keep up. Why did they have to leave his friend Kuonji Ukyo behind? Why had Pops asked if he liked Ukyo or okonomiyaki better?

Nodoka barely realized they were her son's own thoughts when she found herself tied up in fish products and thrown into a pit of cats. She then realized the cats were starving and there was only one thing for them to eat. Suddenly her world was filled with pain and she could hear someone screaming for her. As Genma berated her son for not learning something called the Neko-ken she realized the screaming was that of her own son.

Again the scene shifted and she found herself waiting in a lot. "Come on, boy," said her husband.

"Pops, you know he has problems finding his way around," said Ranma.

Again Nodoka's world exploded in pain and she found herself emerging from a pool of water.

"Honored customer fall into pool of drowned girl," said a man in a badly fitting Chinese military uniform.

"POPS!" she heard a voice scream.

Again the scene shifted and she found herself being dragged away from some purple hair woman who for some insane reason was trying to kill him simply because he beat her for the food his father had eaten. Then the scenes started shifting in rapid succession. "Hi I'm Akane, want to be friends?" "He's a couple all by himself!" There were feelings of betrayal and anger. "Ucchan? You're a girl?!" An old friend becomes a fiancée. "RANMA PREPARE TO DIE! WHERE AM I NOW?" "Hello, son-in-law." More anger more frustration. "I'm Saotome Nodoka." Now there were feelings of fear and pain.

Suddenly Nodoka found herself in the Tendo home again her hands being held by Wiseman and Wicked Lady.

"And I thought _my_ mother was a piece of work," said a Wicked Lady letting the pair of hands go. "Yours wants to kill you simply because you change form without learning the facts first."

"How dare you!" hissed Wiseman his eyes and then body glowing with a red light as he looked Wicked Lady in the eyes.

Wicked Lady shrank back from the glare Wiseman was giving her.

"Wiseman?" asked Sa Fulang concerned.

"I'm angry," said Wiseman his voice harsh. "But the key doctrine of a martial artist is control."

Wiseman turned to face Nodoka as his aura dimmed. "I wanted you to see what I achieved on Nemesis as it makes everything I achieved on Earth seem insignificant."

Nodoka slowly turned to Ranko and then back to Wiseman. "You're Ranko."

Wiseman nodded grimly as he morphed into a twin of Ranko. "There is no true cure, only control." Wiseman then grinned. "Besides it did give me one advantage over most other men-personal knowledge of just how to pleasure a woman."

"Pervert," growled Akane now sporting a nice red aura.

"What is perverted about giving your wife or mistress a good time?" asked Esmeraude as she licked her lips. Esmeraude then frowned. "Don't you realize how emotionally painful it must be for him to be in this time? Wiseman watched _every_ one of you grow old and die; then he had to go though it with his own children, then grandchildren, and on and on."

Wiseman's now female hands let Nodoka's go and the woman just sat there. She then opened her hands and looked at the black crystal in them. "That was your life?"

"To this present, yes," said Wiseman.

"I had no idea." Nodoka's eyes then widened and she slowly turned to Mr. Panda who was holding a sign saying 'Hello, strange lady who is not my wife.'

"GENMA!"

Everyone got treated to a panda dashing through the open door only to get tripped by Petz's staff. "I think your wife wants some words with you," Petz said as she hit the panda in the head knocking him out. "At least when you wake back up."

"When he does wake up I am going to have some serious words with him," said Nodoka standing up the crystal still in her right hand. "He punched me in the mouth, he tied me up in food and tricked me into leaving my best friend Ucchan behind, threw me in a pit of starving caaaaats, and ...what am I saying?"

"You lived my life from my prospective," growled Wiseman looking at Wicked Lady.

"Why shouldn't I? She is no less a hypocrite than my excuse of a mother!" snapped Wicked Lady as she stood. "Regardless of it being honor or purging the world of evil and playing at being Queen of the World they are egotistical bitches who don't care for the feelings of their own children! They _both_ deserve to be hurt!"

Wiseman paled. "Wicked Lady, you don't know what you are saying."

"Like hell I do! At least I am honest about it. Not like you, Wiseman. You are _still_ looking for unconditional acceptance from someone simply because they happened to birth you?! A mother is supposed to care for and love you, not threaten your life over some undefined vague term or think your depression is evil so she can Cleanse it with all the concern of turning off a light. At least I have accepted the fact my mother is egotistical narcissistic bitch; when are you going to wake up to the fact yours is as well, Wiseman? Saotome Ranma, you of all people should know what it is to have parents who DON'T LOVE YOU!" finished Wicked Lady as she fell to her knees crying.

Nodoka looked at the young girl now young woman aghast. Then she too fell to her knees sobbing.

Wiseman sighed. "Everybody unpack your tents. I think we are going to be here a while."

~*~*Author's note*~*~

Hoped you liked the fun twist with the relationship of Wiseman and Chibiusa.


	3. Chap 03 Discussions

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 3 – Discussions

Nodoka woke up in a cold sweat. For a moment she thought she had had a horrible nightmare but then she realized she wasn't in her own room. She looked out the window and recognized from the landscape she was in the Tendo house. Beside the koi pond in a meditative position in his female form was the person her son had become or rather would become.

Nodoka frowned. Her son was both Ranko and Wiseman. From the brief interaction she had seen between him and the Black Moon Clan Nodoka knew that as Wiseman her son commanded respect among them. Wiseman had portrayed the transformation into Ranko as a positive thing. Nodoka blushed and then grinned as she realized just what Wiseman had meant about the transformation allowing him to better pleasure his wives.

Getting up Nodoka noticed her bundle was gone. She sighed. The Black Moon Clan had made it clear they felt she might react wrongly to the situation and had likely claimed the sword as a precaution. As her son's decedents they did have that right as in the time he came from she had been dead for a very long time. Again she frowned. There were some things she didn't understand but she could get answers.

Nodoka opened the door to the back yard and stared. It had not been obvious from the window she had looked out of but Wiseman was sitting a good foot off the ground.

Wiseman opened his eyes and smiled. "Hello, Mom. Hope you don't mind me still being in my Ranko form. The Jakokusuishou has a primarily yin aspect so I have a better time accessing and exploring its power when I am in this form."

"You're floating," said Nodoka trying to grasp what she was seeing.

"Hmm?" said Wiseman cocking his female head to one side. "Oh this, it just a little ki technique I heard about that I use to improve my meditation." Wiseman stood up and floated down to the ground. Wiseman gave a sad smile. "I'm glad you came down to talk. I have a bit of a problem I didn't expect and no it isn't about you finding out that I am Ranko. That would have happened eventually. Took a lot of explaining but it did turn out well or would have. Kuso, I am beginning to really hate time travel. Plays havoc with your verb tenses."

"So what is the problem you want to talk about?'

"Before I go into that I need to tell you why I became Wiseman. When I realized what the Jakokusuishou had done to me I wanted to know why…so it showed me. It turned out that the Jakokusuishou and Ginzuishou are linked like yin and yang; once Neo-Queen Serenity came to be there _had_ to be a Wiseman. It then showed why I was best to be Wiseman."

Wiseman paused taking out the crystal. "The key point was none of the other possible candidates could channel Ki the way I did _and_ change back between their male birth form and a female form. As a result all the Jakokusuishou would be able to do would be to keep them going rather than keep them from aging."

Wiseman looked up sadness in his eyes. "The result would be that these other possible candidates would become literal walking dead men and go insane. Most of them would become a revenge crazed homicidal madman with only one goal—kill Neo-Queen Serenity no matter _what_ the cost. Even the more rational ones would believe if they could not defeat Neo-Queen Serenity killing everyone on Earth would be better than let Neo-Queen Serenity continue to rule them. This insanity would affect the ruling class of Nemesis as well to various levels. That is why I became Wiseman."

Wiseman gave a dry chuckle. "The greatest irony is that my curse, the embodiment of everything Pops thought was unmanly, was the saving grace of not one but two worlds."

"Is that why you said there was no true cure?"

"Partly and to save my younger self from needlessly looking for one." Wiseman then broke out into a grin. "It was also a great way to deal with the wives and mistresses that swung both ways." Wiseman then shook his head causing the red hair move back and forth. "We can leave that for a different time. The reason I am telling you this is to put the issue I wanted to talk about in context: Wicked Lady."

Nodoka shuddered. "I never heard such hatred from a child regarding their parent."

"That is what bothers me. Neo-Queen Serenity was many things—an uncoordinated bumbler who couldn't hit the broadside of Phoenix Mountain at two paces without help, an idealistic idiot who tended to spout speeches nearly as bad as Kuno's, and a crybaby who tended to wail worse than Soun when things went wrong but she certainly was not egotistical or narcissistic. While I accept that she may have changed over the 1,000 years since I last saw her I cannot shake the feeling that there is something _wrong_ with Wicked Lady's account."

"However, if Wicked Lady can show that she has the right mix of honor, attitude, and strength the Black Moon Clan will accept her regardless of whose child she is. My issue is what to do about her meeting her mother here in the past. I don't want to make the same mistakes Pops did especially when it involves someone else's child by keeping them apart from their parent but then again how she deals with her anger regarding her mother would help determine her acceptance. Especially as her feelings toward her mother remind me of the mess I had with Sham Pu and the Reversal Jewel."

Nodoka cocked her head to one side. "Reversal Jewel?"

Wiseman winced. "Not something I am proud of. One of my fiancées, Sham Pu, obtained a magical item called the Reversal Jewel. When worn correctly it reinforces the feelings a person has to another person but when worn up side down it reverses those emotions. At least that is the way I understand how the thing worked. Anyway she started wearing it and became cold towards me and I nearly wound up proposing to the girl by the time the whole mess was over."

"_One_ of your fiancées?" grinned Nodoka before she brought her hand to her head.

"You alright. Mom?"

"Images and faces came to my mind," Nodoka said.

"Likely a byproduct of Wicked Lady interfering with the Thought Training process," Wiseman said as he smiled again. "Hello, Ranko."

Nodoka turned to see the younger version of her son frowning at Wiseman. "I don't think that name serves a purpose anymore."

"I disagree," said Wiseman as he reached down and pulled up the vest out of the hole it had made when it hit the ground.

"How much does that thing weigh?" asked Ranma looking down the hole the vest made.

"About five times what our backpacks normally weighed," said Wiseman

"Any particular reason?"

"Slows me down. I started having problems training people after 50 years because I was too darn fast. The vest is also where I carry most of my training implements," Wiseman said as he pulled a bright red stone and a black rag from a vest pocket. After gently setting the vest down, Wiseman then started tapping the stone with his finger causing flakes to fly off on to the black rag. "This is my own version of the Bakusai Tenketsu; it is designed to teach control as well as speed."

After a short time Wiseman held up the stone that now had many facets. "These along with the clear stones are the most challenging as they some of the hardest on Nemesis." Wiseman then pulled out several clear white stones each about half the side of a clenched fist.

"Showing them the art of martial artist jewel crafting, I see," said Rubeus as he walked over.

"Jewel crafting?" asked Ranma his female eyes widening as he realized just what the red and clear white stones Wiseman was working with were. "Rubies? Diamonds?"

Rubeus picked up one of the clear white stones. "Being able to work a diamond is something very few grandmasters achieve and even Wiseman has problems with them."

Wiseman winced as the diamond he was working shattered into five pieces. "Mainly due to missing flaws when I start working with them," Wiseman grumbled.

"What's with the advanced stuff? Normally you start with quartz."

"While these are common stones on Nemesis they are quite rare on Earth and therefore valuable. Craft a few of these and money will be something we will not have to worry about." Wiseman paused in thought. "Though, you are right regarding the diamonds. These particular stones have a lot of flaws and might not produce good gemstones." Wiseman put the clear white stones with the red flakes on the black cloth and put the whole thing in the vest. "We can go with this and see what value we can get for it," he said holding up the ruby he had just crafted. "Shelter is not going to be a problem with our tents but food and water will eventually become one."

Rubeus nodded. "Shelter is one thing but we will need a base of operations."

"Eventually, but first things first." Wiseman looked up in thought. "During my battle with Sa Fulang I felt something. Something powerful. Then about two years later the great freeze happened and Neo-Queen Serenity defeated whoever or whatever was causing it and decided to rule the world. I am assuming the power spike I felt was Neo-Queen serenity was coming into her power, so we may have perhaps as little as five months to try and change things."

"Reason first and if that doesn't work punch some Sensei lights out?" asked Rubeus.

"If it comes to that," said Wiseman. "The Sailor Senshi were fighting someone even if the details we have are vague. We know from the youma that came to Nemesis that they fought and defeated at least one foe two years before the Great Freeze happened."

"Try to reason with or defeat the Sailor Senshi and stop an unknown force that will turn the Earth into an ice cube killing 90 percent of the population all in a period that could be as short as five Earth months," said Rubeus shaking his head. "Well it certainly won't be boring."

Wiseman stood up and put the vest on with the robe going on top of that. "My main concern is the Sailor Senshi who kept such a low profile that I didn't even know of her existence until it was too late."

"What Sailor Senshi would that be?" asked Wicked Lady curious. Nodoka noted that the girl turned woman was holding her bundle.

"Sailor Pluto," said Wiseman making the name sound like a curse. "It was her who used my honor against me and forced us to surrender."

Wicked Lady frowned. "That makes no sense. According to the records Queen Serenity left in the Ginzuishou she is a lone warrior charged with guarding the Time Gates for all eternity. No one outside the royal family is even supposed to know of her existence. The loneliness in her eyes," Wicked Lady shook her head. "I wouldn't wish that fate on my worst enemy. Mother was showing me the crystal one day and I touched it wondering if there was anyone who had had a more lonely existence than me or Ranma and that is how we found out about her. That was about 850 years ago from my prospective. I would visit Puu because she had had no one to talk to since the Moon Kingdom fell some 13,000 years ago."

Wiseman now frowned just as he was to put the hood of his robe up. "Now I am confused. I met Sailor Pluto face to face and there was nothing that looked like any gates around when she told me to surrender or she would kill mom and my wife's sisters who I had given my word I would protect."

"The Time Gates allow you to travel through time," said Wicked Lady. "I tried talking Pluto into letting me go into the past and she said that was something she could only allow if my mother approved it. Needless to say mother was not thrilled with the idea so I appeared to let it drop." Wicked Lady looked at Wiseman. "Here is something else. My mother has a pen that allows her to disguise herself."

"Wicked Lady, how could she have pretended to be this Sailor Pluto if she didn't know… Oh you have got to be kidding! That is insane."

"If you have a better idea than that I love to hear it," snapped Wicked lady

"I sure indeed have a better idea than your mother going back in time to pretend to be this Sailor Pluto. If these Time Gates can allow travel through time I imagine they allow you see through time as well. So why didn't Pluto warn Neo-Queen Serenity about you trying to take the Ginzuishou?" Wiseman lifted his crystal looking at it. "Since the Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou are connected it means that my visions could have been of alternative histories. Was her personal threat a way to make sure there was a chance that I became Wiseman?"

"Wicked Lady, Ranma, I think it is time to bring Elder Kě Lún up to speed on what is going on," said Wiseman as he raised his hood. 'Besides it going to be fun to watch the expressions on her and your faces,' Wiseman thought to himself.

**~*~*Neko haten Cafe*~*~**

Cologne, Shampoo and Mouse were getting the restaurant ready for the morning when Cologne looked up and frowned.

"Great grandmother, what wrong?" asked Shampoo.

"Two people with a ki signature dwarfing any I have seen before are approaching." A knock at the door startled the two young martial artists. "Correction are here."

Cologne went over to the door and opened it. Standing in between the two powerful ki signatures was Ranma in his female form. Cologne sighed as she studied the two people with Ranma. One was a beautiful woman with long pink hair in a long black dress while the other was a woman wearing a tattered purple robe.

"What trouble have you gotten in this time, Son-in-law?" she asked.

"I insisted he come along to save us a lot of explaining," said purple robe as she removed her hood. Cologne's eyes widened as she looked the woman in the purple robe and back at Ranma and then back again.

"No you are not seeing things, Old Ghoul…hey, Wiseman, what is with hitting me in the head," said Ranma rubbing his head.

"That is one of my co-wives you are insulting," said purple robe. "Before you turn green she ate a Toshi no kazu dake and became 12 years old physically. Great body once she matured again with a great martial arts mind to match, other than honor what more could a martial artist ask for? That is why she became my first co-wife once she was physically old enough."

"Co-wife?"

"As in more than one wife at the same time," explained Wiseman.

"WHAT?!"

Wiseman rolled her eyes. "Do try to calm down before you wake up the neighborhood."

"Calm down? You are telling me that I had more than one wife at one time and you are telling me to CALM DOWN?!"

"Actually it isn't as nuts as it sounds. Somewhat chaotic at times but not nuts."

Ranma just stared at the person he called Wiseman. "I thought you were called Wiseman not Bakaman," he finally said.

Wiseman shook his head. "Ranma, you are forgetting that I _am_ you but 1,000 years more skilled, patient, and I hope smarter."

"Not if I thought having more than one wife was a good idea," muttered Ranma.

"Believe me it was a good idea given the situation at the time, but we didn't come over here to talk about my love life. The shock our arrival created will wear off and given what I know about Nabiki's mentality towards wealth we will soon have new problems. Time is not something I will have much more of.

I have tried of keep as much of the Joketsuzoku, Musk, and Phoenix Mountain traditions that were practical with the resources I was given. The Ayakashi sisters deserve more than the fragments Kě Lún was able to teach me. That is why we are here—to help them reclaim a heritage that has been a clobbered together tattered mess for nearly 800 years as well as give us a fighting chance again whatever the Sailor Senshi were fighting and if needed against the Sailor Senshi themselves."

"Wiseman, even I don't know the full details of mother's enemies," said the pink haired woman. "At best I got a thumbnail idea of who they were and what they were trying to achieve. Queen Beryl-a foe from the Moon Kingdom's fall; the Makaiju-aliens who were trying to keep their tree alive with drained ki energy; and then Mistress 9 and the Witches 5-who wanted to give this world to their master Pharaoh 90. While that whole mess was going on Princess Snow Kaguya made her move and started turning the Earth into an ice cube."

Wiseman nodded in thought. "Queen Beryl was the name the youma gave us for the previous ruler of the Dark Kingdom." He then looked at the pink haired woman. "Wicked Lady, was this Princess Snow Kaguya the one who caused the Great Freeze?"

"Got it in one, Wiseman," said Wicked Lady grimly. "Though, it wasn't because of her that 90 percent of the world's people died but rather Pharaoh 90. Turns out Pharaoh 90 didn't want to rule Earth but consume the life energy here. By the time my mother was able to defeat him and his minions the damage had already been done."

Wiseman shook his head as he sat down. "The Black Moon Clan is just going to love _that_ piece of news. But we'll deal with that disaster in due time. Back to the matter at hand." Wiseman pulled out red stone and black cloth and started knocking flakes off with his finger.

Cologne widened her eyes as she looked at the stone and then at Wiseman. "Is that a ruby?"

"Yep, martial artist jemcutting. Little something I developed as a way to improve speed, accuracy, and control. In this time it is also a great way to generate some cash though in this case I am just showing off."

Cologne nodded as she watched the stone turn into a finely crafted gemstone. Wiseman then put the gemstone in one pocket and the black cloth with the flakes in another. "Well, I think we should get down to business," said Wiseman as he looked into the eyes of Cologne, "shouldn't we, co-wife?"

Cologne sighed. She had a feeling this Wiseman was going to be handful.

**~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~**

"Prince Demondo, what is happening to the sky?" asked Esmeraude concerned.

"I don't know. It's turning gray and it looks like it is on fire that that direction."

"I think…," paused Rubeus, "That is the sunrise Wiseman spoke of."

The rest of the Black Moon Clan turned and stared. "A sunrise?" asked Kōan. "But the sun is a small point of light…"

"From the point of Nemesis, yes it is," said Rubeus. "But this is Earth which is a 100 times closer. The old records told of a blue sky with white objects known as clouds floating in it."

"You mean like what I get in my lab?" asked Saphir.

"Yes and most clouds were natural though there were some that were man made," explained Rubeus. "Toxic things those man made clouds by all accounts."

"What of the natural clouds?" asked Demondo.

"They are water vapor. The water cycle on Earth is different then Nemesis. Due to temperature differences evaporated water forms clouds and in some cases precipitation."

"Precipitation?" asked Veneti.

"The water that falls from the clouds," explained Rubeus. "Depending on the temperature it could be in liquid or solid form."

"It's beautiful," said Aquatici. "But also unnerving."

"Yes. In many respects I think Earth is as alien to us as Nemesis was to our ancestors," commented Demondo frowning.

"Why the long face, brother?" smiled Saphir slapping his brother on the back. "They adjusted. So can we."

Demondo turned and returned the smile. "Yes, you're right."

~*~*RS*~*~

Several hours later found Ranma talking to Akane as they walked to school. "I mean Wiseman kept calling Cologne co-wife and I don't know who it was creeping out more me or her. At least until Wicked Lady told everyone who his first wife was and well that was when things really went to crap. Wiseman seemed surprised and worried on how easy Wicked Lady was able to handle Shampoo and Mousse. I'm worried by the fact Cologne didn't seemed fazed by the whole thing at all."

"So who is the lucky lady who winds up with you?"

"Why you are, Saotome Akane," said Wicked Lady's soft voice right in Akane's ear.

Akane jumped and spun around. "Wicked Lady! Where are you?!"

"Right in front of you, my dear," said the voice as Wicked Lady seemed to fade into existence. "The Umisenken, one of the few things Genma came up with that are actually worth a darn."

Several feet away, Wiseman was sitting on top of a roof frowning. 'The more I see of you, Wicked Lady, the more I know something is wrong,' the future version of Ranma thought to himself. 'That particular variant of the Umisenken was something I developed and I know I didn't leave enough in my journal for someone to duplicate it. The fact you used my heavy ki technique on Mousse and Shampoo is of even greater concern as I developed that _after_ being on Nemesis for 100 years.'

Wiseman then watched as Wicked Lady touched Kuno's bokken and the boy suddenly had a problem holding it up. As Kuno struggled with his bokken, Wicked Lady, Ranma, and Akane walked by. Once they were inside the school and out of sight Wiseman made his move.

As Wiseman approached he noted Kuno reacting to the rustling of his robe. "You risk hurting yourself doing that, Kuno-san," said Wiseman taking care to alter his voice with ki. Wiseman resisted the impulse to smile as Kuno turned in bewilderment. "I am Wiseman, the Advisor of the Black Moon Clan, the royal clan of Nemesis. Wicked Lady is showing remarkable restraint and skill in dealing with the situations that come her way," Wiseman said as he touched the bokken. "Thought so, she imbued it with heavy ki just like she did Shampoo and Mousse last night," said Wiseman as he removed the heavy ki.

Wiseman stumbled and Kuno moved to steady him. "Well at least now I know why Wicked Lady is behaving the way she is. She has someone else's negative ki mixed in with hers. Several someones from what I'm feeling. Kuso, I've got to get back to the Neko Hanten immediately!"

Wiseman jumped from the bewildered Kuno's grasp and started roof hopping to the Neko Hanten cursing under his breath. It was so obvious that Wiseman felt like a prize baka of the highest order for not seeing it before now. He has always wondered where the evil Neo-Queen Serenity has removed went and now he knew; it had all gone into the Ginzuishou. Wicked Lady had speculated that she had tapped into the Ginzuishou to grow up and Wiseman suspected the power she had tapped into had been tainted by all that yin ki. He burst into the Neko Hanten and looked at Cologne who was frowning.

"Let me guess, Shampoo and Mousse are having serious emotional issues."

"That is putting it mildly. I had to use sleep points on both of them as I tired of the anger, hostility, and down right hatred they were displaying." Cologne shifted. "What bothers me is I have no explanation for it."

"I'm afraid I do. Wicked Lady used the heavy ki technique on Kuno's bokken and when I removed it less he hurt himself I got a load of negative ki. All that evil Neo-Queen removed had to go somewhere."

"The Ginzuishou," said Cologne scowling.

"What bothers me is the fact neither of us saw the taint. They also seemed normal when I left."

"It started about an hour after you left."

"Wicked Lady was already in hostility mode when I met her. Perhaps what was due to her using the Ginzuishou to go back in time or that she wasn't trained as a martial artist. Since the ki isn't theirs it should be subdued as the tainted heavy ki is replaced. Those two were reckless enough without enough negative in their system to pull off one of P-chan's Shishi Hokoudan if it was emotional ki."

"But it isn't emotional ki."

"No it isn't. It looks like pure ki but it isn't but given the way Wicked Lady is behaving I would say it has the same problems as emotional ki but at a far deeper level. In the case of those two they should be fine in a couple of hours but there is the issue of Wicked Lady." Wiseman sighed. "Looks like I go monster hunting and wait until the Sailor Senshi show up and hope Sailor Mercury's blasted computer doesn't give them reasons to use me for target practice."

**~*~* Author****'****s note *~*~**

The blog thread "(Probably A Stupid) Question on the Great Freeze" over at Temple of Ranma Senshi Seifuku goes over all the problems with the Great Freeze in both the manga and anime. Based on my research it seems that making Princess Snow Kaguya (_Sailor Moon S: The Movie_) the cause of the Great Freeze is the least problematic.

The timeline Wiseman and Wicked Lady belong to is the product of a 2002 Usenet thread called "Sailor Moon and historical tampering": The general gist was that there had to be "original" timeline and what we saw in the anime was a _new_ timeline resulting from interference of the time travelers. That original timeline as best can be determined is:

_Sailor Moon R_ 47-59 **only** with a lull for the period covered by 60-89 (ie NO Black Moon Clan saga)

_Sailor Moon S_ 90-111 with no Chubiusa as well as Uranus and Neptune dying and staying dead

_Sailor Moon S: The Movie_ ends with Princess Snow Kaguya freezing the Earth (the Great Freeze)

Sailor Moon defeats Pharaoh 90 but only after it kills 90 percent of the people on the planet. Sailor Saturn dies in this battle as well.

Sailor Moon becomes Neo-Queen Serenity after thawing what is left of the world's population and then decides to Cleanse people resulting in the rebellion that ends in the exile of what will become the Black Moon Clan.

ChubiUsa is born and lives 900 years until she goes back in time (_Sailor Moon R anime memorial_)


	4. Chap 04 Discoveries

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 4 – Discoveries

The next day, Wiseman stopped roof hopping through the two wards that separated Nerima and Minato and then slowly walked to the Azabu-Juuban section of Minato ward. His tattered purple robe was going to attract attention but he really didn't want to go around without it. The last thing he wanted to do was go around in either of his Ranko or Ranma identities as he wanted to use them later though not under those names. Being slower than roof hopping, walking gave Wiseman the time to think back to a key event in Nemesis culture: the arrival of the first youma.

It has been about a century into his life on Nemesis that it had happened. The youma had been surprised when they actually started trying to talk with her rather than blast her to bits. She told of a war between her Dark Kingdom's previous ruler Queen Beryl and the Sailor Senshi and how her queen left for battle and never returned. The youma later found one of Queen Beryl's generals encased in crystal and released him. Proclaimed King Jadeite he had considered retrying to conquer Earth until the youma scouts came back with reports regarding the state of the people. Totally disgusted with what he was told and supposedly later saw for himself King Jadeite turned his attention to the other planets for something better for the youma and had finally found Nemesis.

An alliance was struck as a few thought the Dark Kingdom could be used as a way around Neo-Queen Serenity's little barrier. Sadly it turned out that going into and then back out of the Dark Kingdom was easy only for Jadeite and the youma he ruled and the youma could only go in small numbers that would have been easy pickings for the Sailor Senshi. The people of Nemesis had decided not to use the option at all for risk of losing it later. Within a century, the general populous forgot the knowledge; and the Dark Kingdom simply became one of many training grounds. By that time Wiseman's habit of calling him King Pendragon in honor of the greatest king Earth had ever known had become common place.

Then some 200 years later Wiseman had the sad duty of informing King Pendragon that, based his ki readings, the king of the Dark Kingdom was dying. King Pendragon had given a small sad smile and said it didn't matter, as one of his decedents was already the ruler of Nemesis. He then pointed out the youma had long been integrated into Nemesis society and there were many who could point to a youma in their family tree. As far as he was concerned he and his Dark Kingdom had long ceased to have any real meaning.

About 100 years later King Pendragon, the last ruler of the Dark Kingdom, was laid to rest. Ironically Wiseman was now using what Pendragon had come to regard as his least useful piece of information: the civilian identities the Sailor Sensei Jadeite knew as Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Moon. Thankfully Jadeite Pendragon had shared that information with Wiseman.

Wiseman pulled himself out of his deep thought to find himself standing in front of the Junban Municipal Junior High School. Wiseman was so stunned at being in front of the very school Sailors Moon and Mercury went to without having clue one where it was in the district that he temporarily lost touch with his surroundings. He quickly regained them when someone plowed into him knocking him down his heavy vest causing him to crack the pavement when he hit it.

"Ack, ImsorryImsorry," said the voice of a girl she tried to help Wiseman to his feet. Wiseman looked at the girl and blinked. "Neo-Queen Serenity?" he asked as he slowly stood.

The girl stopped babbling and looked at Wiseman puzzled. "Queen? Me? He he he. I'm just Tsukino Usagi."

Wiseman regarded the girl before him as she noticed the big crack in the pavement where she had knocked him down her eyes widening. "That is the name I knew you as. I should have used the one you currently use, Sailor Moon."

Wiseman watched as the girl turned pale and her ki went into total panic mode. "Sailor Moon? What makes you think I am Sailor Moon?" asked the girl nervously.

"The same way I know Mizuno Ami is Sailor Mercury and Hino Rei is Sailor Mars," said Wiseman automatically before realizing that was one of the worse things to say.

If anything the fear in the girl's ki was nothing compared to what he was seeing now. Wiseman took a step back and raised his hands. "I'm not here to fight you, Tsukino Usagi," he said in what he hoped was his calmest voice. "I am Wiseman, the Advisor of the Black Moon Clan, the royal clan of Nemesis; if anything I am here to help you and the other Sailor Senshi."

"Help us? I mean…"

"Given the present time constraints I leave you with this warning. Evil can come from within as well as outside. Beware Sailor Pluto as she will twist your dreams into a nightmare." Wiseman then turned around. "If you excuse me I got to find out which foe you guys are fighting. Let's see Wicked Lady mentioned Queen Beryl, the Makaiju aliens, the Mistress-Witches 5-Pharaoh 90 group, and finally the world freezing Princess Snow Kaguya."

"What?!" asked Usagi in a soft voice.

Wiseman turned. Usagi had the look of a deer caught in the headlights of a car. "I believe the strong should protect the weak and also teach them how to protect themselves. In that respect you and I are the same. By the way I think you are really late for class."

"ACK!" Usagi quickly gathered her stuff and ran into the building.

Wiseman looked at the retreating girl a frown on his face. Though the whole encounter worked better than any plan he could have made there were still a lot of things that could still go wrong. Wiseman also had no idea on the identities of the Sailor Senshi that had appeared after Queen Beryl had put Jadeite into his crystal.

Never mind that from the information he and Jadeite had clobbered together there seemed to be a gap of three planets in the Senshi ranks: Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Wiseman continued to frown as he turned around and started walking out of the district. He had an idea that if it worked would put him right in the middle of the Sailor Senshi; problem was if it failed badly it could put him right at the top of the Sailor Sensh's who I really want to hurt list.

~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~

"YOU WANT TO DO WHAT?!" yelled Ranma.

Wiseman winced. He knew his younger self was going to hate this idea but he needed to know for the thing to even have a chance of working. By contrast the Black Moon Clan was at least willing to consider the idea and was kicking around the various merits and problems.

"I know how you feel but Sailor Moon didn't do what she did out of malice. As a Sailor Senshi I could give much better instructions than simply as a mysterious mentor. Besides as Sun Tzu said 'What enables the enlightened rulers and good generals to conquer the enemy at every move and achieve extraordinary success is foreknowledge.'"

Wicked Lady chuckled. "I should point out that while my mother would trust nearly anyone the other Sailor Senshi aren't as naïve. The minute Sailor Mercury scans you she is going to know that your powers are yin rather than yang based."

"Actually Sailor Mercury discovering the yin aspect of Wiseman's energy could work in the world's favor. Would certainly get Neo-Queen Serenity out of her little black and white world," said Prince Demando.

"She isn't Neo-Queen Serenity," said Wiseman firmly. "From what I saw she is nowhere near the power of Neo-Queen Serenity. Perhaps what I felt five months from now was her coming into her power."

"If she hasn't realized her power than this idea of pretending to be a Sailor Senshi has a better chance of working," said Perz.

"What said that he would be pretending?" asked Esmeraude smirking.

Everyone looked at her, some with thoughtful expressions others with shocked ones.

"Ok, you lost me on that idea," said Wicked Lady frowning.

"Think about it. Nemesis is part of the solar system and given there is a Sailor Pluto I'm betting there were a Sailor Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune as well so why not a Sailor Nemesis?"

Wiseman changed into his female form and looked into his crystal. After several moments he blinked and looked up at the Black Moon Clan chuckling. "You are right, I can tap into the power of Nemesis just like the Senshi tap into their respective worlds. The reason why is a laugh riot though."

"Why don't you share it with us?" asked Wicked Lady sarcastically. "I think we could all do with a good chuckle."

Wiseman smirked. "Seems the Pluto we know isn't the first but the second in that role," Wiseman said as he lifted the Jakokusuishou above his head. "Pluto Planet Power, Make up!"

When Wiseman came down from the transformation sequence he pulled on front of his outfit and grimaced. "Don't know what's worst; the outfit or that the transformation sequence is a 36 second long hentai's dream."

"Uh, Wiseman you were in the air for about four seconds six tops," said Petz frowning.

Wiseman looked over at Petz curious. "Perhaps it is due to my martial arts training. I'll have to find a way to ask Sailor Moon about it." Wiseman then turned his attention to his outfit. "Gads I really would love to get my hands on the hentai who designed this thing. Worse the Jakokusuishou can only simulate Sailor Pluto's power, Sailor Mercury would likely know in a heartbeat that those powers are not real." Wiseman sighed. "Oh well, let's see what Sailor Nemesis looks like. Nemesis Planet Power, Make-up!"

Wiseman came down from the transformation sequence and looked down at his outfit. Ranma noted that unlike the Sailor Pluto outfit this one had no frilly girly stuff. It was a very utilitarian covering the entire body in a skintight outfit except for the head.

"Well, no frilly bows; that is a definite plus," said Wiseman as he looked at the front and turned his head around to look at the back. "Trousers rather than a skirt, another plus," he continued as he looked down. "And best of all no freaking high heels," he finished as he looked down at his feet. Wiseman then frowned in thought.

"Might be too different?" asked Rubeus.

"It certainly is a departure from all the Sailor Senshi I knew," said Wiseman tugging on a sleeve. "Well that is interesting. This isn't cloth but some form of metal."

"Metal?" asked everyone surprised.

"It's a very fine weave but definitely metal." Wiseman said as he examined one gloved hand. "This is the kind of outfit I would design if...I wonder. Wiseman closed his eyes and everyone stared as the outfit seemed to flow like mercury. A bow the color of dried blood emerged in the front as the trousers gave way to high-healed boots and a mini skirt both in the same light purple as Wiseman's robe. The part of the suit around the neck seemed to flow up to the forehead where it turned into a black with blood red highlights tiara. Wiseman then opened his eyes and smiled. "Appears that I can change the look of my outfit using the Jakokusuishou."

Wiseman reached up and removed the tiara and pressed the blood red stone in the center of it. Wiseman blinked as two sharp blades emerged and then gave a low whistle. "Nasty but effective."

"Weird color scheme," commented Kōan. "I wouldn't have thought that light purple and that shade of red would go together."

"Should work in our favor as it is less likely to duplicate the Sailor Senshi we don't know about but might have shown up," said Sa Fulang.

Wiseman frowned. "There's one major problem. I have no idea what attacks Sailor Nemesis has. I can weave some of the Jakokusuishou's power into my ki attacks but I certainly can't use the standard names for them."

Sa Fulang looked at Wiseman and expressed his thoughts. "Both Wiseman and Sailor Nemesis have their strengths and weaknesses depending on what role you want to focus on. I think for the time being that you can help the Senshi as both mentor and fellow warrior."

"I would like to believe I could do both as Wiseman but given the way I may have botched our first meeting I may have to go the Sailor Nemesis route." Wiseman then smiled. "At least I have it as a back up plan."

**~*~*Azabu-Juuban section of Minato*~*~**

Everyone at the Hikawa Shrine knew something was wrong when Usagi entered a frowning Luna slightly behind her. "Guys, we have a major problem," she said sitting down.

"What problem?" asked Rei.

"I ran into, literally, someone on the way to school today," said Usagi. "He calls himself Wiseman and he knows who we are."

"WHAT?" screeched Luna. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

Usagi looked at Luna sadly. "Because I knew you would over react. There is something else. He initially called me Neo-Queen Serenity and said he had to figure out which foe we were fighting."

"Queen Serenity was the Princess' mother," said Luna her eyes widening. "The neo would seem to indicate that that Sailor Moon is…the princess?"

"I'm the princess of the Moon?" giggled Usagi clasping her hands her eyes shining.

Luna looked over at her ward for a moment and then walked over to the nearest wall. Luna then started knocking her head against the wall. "Having nightmare. Must wake up. Must wake up!" After a while Luna stopped her head still resting against the wall. "Ok, so much for that idea," said Luna turning back to her ward. "This Wiseman say anything else?"

"I'm a Princess," said Usagi still in her little dream world.

Rei slapped Usagi on the head. "Hey, Meatball Head, get back to Wiseman. You said he stated he had to figure out which foe we were fighting. That implies more than one foe. Did he say anything about who these foes were?"

"Oh yeh," said Usagi rubbing her head where Rei had hit it. "That is the problem I was talking about. Let me see," Usagi said touching her check in thought, "Queen Beryl; aliens of some sort; something about Witches, a Mistress, and a Pharaoh; and finally something about some world freezing Princess Snow Kaguya. There was something else he said."

"Queen Beryl we knew about," said Ami. "But these others are totally new. If they operate similar to Beryl and decide to join forces the four of us could easily be overwhelmed."

"That's it," said Usagi snapping her fingers. "Wiseman mentioned a Sailor Pluto but he said to beware her because she would turn my dreams into a nightmare."

"Sailor Pluto?" asked Makoto looking at Luna. "Who is Sailor Pluto?"

"She is the guardian of the Time Gates," said Luna.

"The existence of a Sailor Pluto would imply that every world had a Sailor Senshi," said Ami, "From Mercury all the way out to Pluto."

"No," said Luna shaking her head. "Earth didn't have a Sailor Senshi. Also, I seem to remember that Pluto is not the outermost planet. There are other worlds beyond it but blast I can't remember."

"Wiseman said something about being part of the royal family of Nemesis," said Usagi frowning.

"That's was one of them!" exclaimed Luna. "In fact, that was the name of the outermost planet of the solar system." Luna then frowned. "Though, if I remember correctly it wasn't part of the Moon Kingdom. It was more of an allied world then part of the kingdom proper."

"So there is the possibly that this Wiseman is here to help like he said," said Usagi.

"He could be an enemy," said Luna.

Usagi rolled her eyes. "Luna, that makes no sense. Wiseman was standing right in front of the school Ami, Makoto, and I go to. If he was an enemy why be so open about knowing who we were? Besides if he was an enemy out to earn our trust he certainly doesn't dress like it. He comes off as spooky with his long light purple robe that is torn in places as if it is very old. And his voice practically screams power but there was also a hint of sadness in it."

"I have to agree with Usagi on this," said Rei. "This doesn't seem to fit the pattern of the foes we have faced up to now. Besides it seems that he knows who we are but we have no idea on who he is. It looks like all we can do right now is to wait for Wiseman to make the next move."

"Speaking of next move I just realized something," said Usagi. "You mentioned that this Sailor Pluto was guardian of the Time Gates. That description sounds like they are well… a time machine."

Luna nodded her head. "That is essentially what the Time Gates are. They allow viewing and travel to other points in time."

"Wait a minute," said Makoto. "I thought scientists said time travel was impossible due to something called the Grandfather's Paradox."

"The Grandfather's Paradox is only a valid argument if there is only one timeline," said Ami. "However Quantum Physics suggests that instead of the wave function collapsing into one universe it instead creates as many timelines as needed for the possible outcomes."

Ami's three friends and Luna just stared at her for a moment. "Ami, could you kindly explain that in a manner the rest of us could actually understand?" asked Luna.

"Ok, say I toss a coin in the air. It can come down either heads or tails. According to the Many World Theory _both_ results happen each one in a now separate timeline." Ami frowned at the still blank stares greeting her. "I guess that didn't really help."

Ami then snapped her fingers. "Ok, this should explain it better. Say you are walking down a path that forks left and right. No matter which path you take the other path still exists. With me so far?"

The three other girls and Luna all nodded. "Ok. Now say one path represents the coin coming down heads and the other it coming down tails."

Luna widened her eyes in realization. "Now I understand. Every action we do or don't take effectively creates these forks."

"Exactly," said Ami. "That means somewhere out there, there is a timeline where the Moon Kingdom did not fall. There are likely timelines that are the result of Queen Serenity sending a message back to herself. Those timelines just doesn't happen to be the timeline _we_ are in."

Rei nodded frowning. "That explains traveling into the past but what about viewing the future."

"Information overload," said Ami. "Tossing a coin five times in a row would result in 68 possible futures just for that one event. If the Time Gates can look into the future I doubt they can see anything other then general events. That may have been why the fall happened—it was such a low probability that all others effectively hid it. Sort of like the coin hitting a crack such that it stays on its edge."

"He said it with such certainty," whispered Usagi widening her eyes. "Wiseman is from the future!"

"WHAT?!" yelled four female voices.

"I think your love of ice cream has frozen your brain, Meatball Head," said Rei.

"No, it makes sense. He knows of a Sailor Scout we have never even heard of, he knows of enemies we will face, he initially called me Neo-Queen Serenity, and he knows who we are now. How could he know all that if he wasn't from the future?"

Four pairs of eyes widened and looked at each other and then back at Usagi. "I think…" whispered Ami, "she is right. It is the only thing that does make sense."

"Then I hope Usagi is right about Wiseman being an ally," said Makoto grimly, "because any enemy with that kind of knowledge would be next to unstoppable."

~*~*RS*~*~

The next morning found Wiseman going over the telephone book.

"What are you doing?" asked Wicked Lady.

"Trying to find jewelers to sale the gems I've made to. After that I am going to have to look through the paper for possible jobs for the Black Moon Clan."

"Jobs?" asked Wicked Lady. "Why would they need jobs?"

Wiseman looked up shaking his head. "One or two gems are not going to attract much attention from the yakuza or police but a great many even if spread out over time will likely attract unwanted attention from either or worse both." Wiseman continued to look at Wicked Lady. "That heavy Ki technique you used on Kuno's bokken was tainted."

Wicked Lady blinked. "Tainted? It had no emotional ki."

"Not emotional ki but something just as dangerous. For lack of a better term I guess I should call it yin ki."

"Yin ki? I thought that was the power of the Jakokusuishou and you said that I didn't use much of its power."

"To gain the technique you wanted you would have had to know other martial arts as well including the philosophy behind them. Something Pops didn't think was important when he trained me," Wiseman said gesturing to the badly beat up, burnt, and looking like an Indian rubber man Mr. Panda shivering in the corner holding a sign saying 'Pandas are an endangered species. Please do not beat up, ki blast, or twist into unnatural positions.'

Wicked Lady looked at Genma. "I guess having your mother live your life was not a good idea in that it gave the bitch some of your skills." Wicked Lady realized she had again hit a sore point with Wiseman as a red aura formed around him but didn't feel she should back down this time. "Come on Wiseman, aren't you being just like my mother in this regard?"

"It's not you I am angry with or your mother. It is the idiot allowed your mother to get access to the Ginzuishou but gave her no clue on what it did. An idiot called Sailor Pluto," said Wiseman the red anger ki reaching his eyes making them glow. Wiseman then composed himself. "You have the answer in your mind but you are not thinking on it. Think on the yin-yang symbol."

"Yin is the dark female receptive, yielding, negative, and nurturing aspect while yang is the light male active, dominating, positive, and initiating or creating aspect," said Wicked Lady proudly as surprise then filed her features and she looked at the Ginzuishou. "Each has the aspect of the other and neither can exist in total stasis." Wicked Lady's eyes then widened in horror. "Oh no."

Wiseman cocked his head. Wicked Lady may have come to the same conclusions as he had but he had to be sure. "Oh no what?"

"The longer this over dominance of yang goes on the more intense the yin back lash will be."

Wiseman nodded and pulled out two quartz crystals one light the other dark. "That is only part of it. These crystals represent yin and yang. Take the crystal that is predominately yin."

Wicked Lady took the dark crystal frowning. "Ok this would be what my mother did with her Cleansing but I don't…" Wicked Lady stopped and looked at the dark quartz crystal in her hand. "Oh kamisama. Ki is energy and energy cannot be created or destroyed. She removed the yin ki…with the Ginzuishou." Wicked Lady then bolted from the room and started roof hopping like crazy.

"Kuso," said Wiseman as he set down the telephone book and followed Wicked Lady.

~*~*RS*~*~

Wicked Lady was in total emotional turmoil as she jumped from one roof to the next. All this time she had been blaming the wrong person. Pluto being from the Silver Millennium had to have known what using the Ginzuishou to Cleanse people would do to them and her mother but she had remained silent on the matter. Pluto had claimed she couldn't leave the Time Gates but Wiseman had said he had met Pluto. Clearly one of them had to be lying and everything pointed to Pluto being the liar.

Nabiki had put some scientific papers with the journals and diaries and they had said the Moon had been a lifeless hunk of rock for at least 4 billion years, Mars a desert world for millions of years, Venus a pressure cooker of an inferno for millions of years, and so on. None of it supported the idea of a planetary Kingdom with every planet having people only 13,000 years ago. So the Moon Kingdom as Pluto presented it had also been a lie.

Wicked Lady was scowling as she continued roof hopping heedless of the fact she was now in Minato ward attracting all kinds of attention. Way behind her still in the previous ward Wiseman was cursing under his breath regarding the whole situation. In his haste to follow Wicked Lady he had not removed his weighted vest and so was using ki that could have made his leaps longer to keep it light enough he didn't go through somebody's roof. Not that it would have helped if what he was seeing in Wicked Lady's aura was any indication: the aura of a skilled martial artist mixed in with what looked like a variant of Neo-Queen Serenity's power.

From his own experience Wiseman knew that the Sailor Senshi power up did not seem to imbue the user much in the way of knowledge and even less in terms of skill. His brief power up as the original Sailor Pluto had given him a series of magical attacks, some idea on what they did, and possible dangers of using them, but nothing else. For example, for all he knew Death Scream could take out several city blocks if he yelled rather than whispered it.

His Sailor Nemesis power up had actually told him a lot more as it had not provided any magical attacks. The boost in reflexes and strength had made what he knew simply as Wiseman look like a first maybe second Dan. If he wanted any chance to catch Wicked Lady before she did anything reckless he would have to use the Sailor Nemesis power up even though he was not sure he could properly control the level of power it gave him.

The moment he got to Minato ward Wiseman found an alley and changed into Sailor Nemesis with the standard Sailor Senshi trimmings. Grumbling about the outfit and that it had automatically changed him into his Ranko form, Wiseman then tried to continue to roof hop and found as he feared he now had a little control problem—as demonstrated by the three-inch indentation he made in the wall he hit when he misjudged his first jump. Grumbling some more Wiseman pulled out the Jakokusuishou and used its power to repair the wall and started running through the district as fast as he dared.

Far ahead of Wiseman, Wicked Lady finally stood before a school. Given what Wiseman had told her Wicked Lady figured that it had been the Jakokusuishou that had guided his unconscious steps to her mother's old school and hoped that the Ginzuishou had done the same for her. When she saw the indented pavement with cracks she knew she had guessed right. Smiling she lifted the Ginzuishou above her head and shouted "Black Moon Cosmic Power!"

A ways back, the eyes of Sailor Nemesis widened in shock. Whatever the time traveling daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity had done had pushed her powers to levels that actually frightened Sailor Nemesis. Wicked Lady now had enough firepower to make Tokyo if not a good part of Japan look like Hiroshima at the end of the Second World War.

Back at Junban Municipal Junior High School Wicked Lady staggered a bit grabbing a hold of the school's gate to steady herself. 'Perhaps coming up with a variant of mother's old Sailor Moon transformation was not a good idea,' she thought. She looked down at her outfit and knew at once something was wrong. Instead of white the main body of the suit was jet black and the trim was a light purple with reddish hue to it. In place of the orange bows her mother said she had worn there were the same blue as the inside part of her Wicked Lady dress.

She pulled on the gate and heard a strange sound. Looking over at the gate Wicked Lady's eyes widened as she realized that she had twisted part of the gate. Letting go of the gate she simply stared at the hand print in the metal as if it was soft clay. "Who are you?" asked a voice.

Turning Wicked Lady frowned at Sailor Mercury with Sailor Jupiter beside her but before she could respond another voice called out. "Wicked Lady!"

Turning Wicked Lady blinked at a familiar figure. "Sailor Nemesis?"

Ami's eyes widened and her face paled at what her Mercury computer was telling her. "The power levels of either of these two people are well beyond all of the current Sailor Senshi combined," she whispered.

Makoto frowned studied the situation. "From the way they are moving I believe they are Dan level martial artists."

"Queen Beryl has had it with you Sailor Senshi turning up to foil her plans," said a male voice. "I'll take care of you three right now and pick off the other two later," continued a brown haired man who had appeared out of nowhere.

Wicked Lady grinned as she ripped a hunk of metal off of the gate. "Queen Beryl? So you are one of her Shitennou. She must be a pathetic ruler if she can't fight her own battles," she said as the hunk of metal transformed into an insanely large glaive. "Which one of the three losers are you: Nephrite, Zoisite, or Kunzite? I want the doctors to have the right name when you wind up in the nearest ICU." Wicked Lady then charged.

"Foolish little girl," laughed the Shitennou as the glaive hit the pavement. Wicked Lady smiled as her momentum carried her up into the air like a pole vaulter. Shitennou's smile turned into a frown as he realized where the girl's arc would put her. The Shitennou spun around just as a black high-healed boot connected with his head.

"Fist of a thousand blows!" yelled the girl and suddenly the Shitennou found himself being pummeled. The girl somersaulted over the stunned Shitennou and touched the back of his neck as well as some spots on his back. "Those are Shinto pressure points that cause temporarily paralysis," said the girl laughing.

The Shitennou's eyes widened as he found he couldn't move. "You can't do this; I am Zoisite."

"Can't do this?" laughed the girl. "Last I checked I just did, Poi Sight." The girl narrowed her eyes. "Now listen carefully, little man. By the time the Black Moon Clan and I am done with you and that sorry queen of yours you are going to look back on Sailor Moon and the rest of the Sailor Sensei interference as a pleasant dream by comparison. Tell that Queen Beryl of yours that Sailor Black Moon aka Wicked Lady has declared conquering Earth is off of her list of things to list permanently."

"You may have won this battle but we will win the war against you even if there are six Sailor Sensei."

"Not if your commanding of youma is as bad as your counting is, Poi Sight," chuckled the woman called Sailor Nemesis. "It is not just the Sailor Senshi your lot will be up against." Sailor Nemesis then narrowed her eyes her smile turning nasty. "You can consider this a warning from my brother Wiseman. Earth is under our protection. Every person on Nemesis knows some part of the Wiseman's Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu and has permission to teach what they know to the best of their ability to others so they can protect themselves."

"Wiseman's version of that Ryu has the wisdom of the greatest military mind that ever lived as its foundation; Sun Tzu's wisdom in the _Art of War_ is so profound that it has guided others for over 25 centuries. The Black Moon Clan prides itself on the Martial Arts code but we will take the warrior path if it is required. If she continues these antics the only thing your Queen will rule will be a plot of ground six feet deep."

Zoisite looked into the eyes of this Sailor Nemesis and for the first time in his life was truly frightened. There was a cold sorrowful determination there that showed him that she was quite willing to carry out her threat.

"You are stronger than Queen Beryl?" asked a female voice.

Sailor Mercury and Jupiter turned to see a youma and started to get into defense postures. "No, don't," said Sailor Nemisis holding up a hand. "She seems curious rather than aggressive," Sailor Nemisis said. "It wouldn't be just to attack something just because of what it is."

"You dress like them," said the youma gesturing to Sailor Mercury and Jupiter, "but you have some of our energy about you though you yourself are human."

"The Black Moon Clan is bonded by merit as well as blood," said Sailor Nemesis. "There are many members who have both humans and youma in their family tress."

"What? That is impossible!" said Zoisite.

Sailor Nemesis chuckled. "Only impossible if you have no imagination. Take a look at yourself for proof, Poi Sight. In the Nerima district there are many who could incapacitate you just as easily and their attacks are learned rather then boosted hand me downs."

"Learned Through what?" asked Zoisite frowning

The nasty smile of Sailor Nemesis seemed to get larger. "Martial arts. They have learned ways to use their very life energy to enhance their physical abilities and can even use it as a projectile weapon."

Sailor Nemesis gestured and a white ball appeared in her hand. "See this? This isn't magic but ki formed into an energy weapon."

"Youma live off life energy," smirked Zoisite. "Such attacks would only strengthen then."

"How pathetically naïve," laughed Sailor Nemesis her smile turning cruel as the white globe turn a sickly yellow. "Ki comes in many forms. This is a form of emotional ki. Any youma foolish enough to try to absorb this would become so terrified of everything they would be useless." The globe then turned a sickly green orange. "There is always so depressed that they simply kill themselves." The globe changed color again to a red the shade of flowing blood. "How about they become so angry that they lash out at friend and foe alike?" The globe then changed to a deep blue. "Then there is my personal favorite; so confident of their abilities that they develop full blown megalomania."

Sailor Nemesis closed her hand causing the globe to vanish. "Don't think this is the only way ki based martial arts can be used." Sailor Nemesis gestured and a little coin with a hole in its center appeared in her hand. "They can also drain ki just like youma can." A beam shot out of the little coin and hit the immobile Zoisite. "Don't worry Poi Sight. I'm not going to drain you dry, just enough your Queen will get the message that when it comes to the Black Moon Clan she is way over her head."

Zoisite's lip trembled as Sailor Nemesis stopped using the coin. "You see, you have no way to fight us."

"You are pure human and did not use any magic to defeat Zoisite," said the youma. "You can drain life like we can," the youma then cocked it head, "and I can detect the energy we use to mark those we desire as a mate."

Sailor Nemesis blinked her eyes and then chuckled. "One with both human and youma blood desires me as a mate. She can't make up her mind between me, Wiseman, or the Prince of Nemesis and so pursues all of us."

The youma smiled. "She chases after ones who have great power. That is good." The youma turned to Zoisite. "I will take you home. But know this; we follow strong, powerful, and successful rulers. This Black Moon Clan shows there are humans strong enough that we would consider them worth mating with, something your Queen never qualified for. A Ruler who is not successful in their choice of underlings does not deserve to rule." The youma and Zoisite both disappeared.

Sailor Nemesis walked over and picked up the glaive Wicked Lady had used like a pole vault. "There is something familiar about this," she said looking at the weapon.

"Mercury computer identifies it as a reproduction of the Silent Glaive, the main weapon of Sailor… Saturn?" Ami looked at Sailor Nemesis. "The youma said one of her kind desired you as a mate."

"Youma culture is based on the concept of the strong rule. However they recognize there are many types of strength: physical, magical, and mental." Sailor Nemesis frowned as she turned the copy of the Silent Glaive in her hands.

"Something wrong?" asked Wicked Lady. "Besides the fact that I don't dare use my magical attacks for fear I might take out at least a good city block."

"By Sun Tzu as far as tactics goes, this is all wrong. All youma feed on life energy to a small degree. Even with the added danger they would have better pickings in Nerima and given the general weirdness level they would be far less noticeable."

Wicked Lady nodded as her outfit turned into a black evening dress with blue and purple highlights just as a girl with a familiar hairstyle plowed into her. "Notagain notagain. Imsorry Imsory," babbled the familiar blond.

~*~*RS*~*~

Sailor Nemesis aka Wiseman aka Saotome Ranma from one future winced. Even by his standards this was moving way too fast. She prided herself on control and this level of speed was not situated for it. Sailor Nemesis smiled slightly; her youngerself would benefit so much from the youma as male and female didn't matter to them and as a result didn't matter to her. The process that would bring this time's version of the Jakokusuishou here for her youngerself to claim was already in motion and the faster got over the girls are weak crap Pops had shoved in his head the better Wiseman he would make.

"I take it this is the person who ran over Wiseman yesterday," sighed Wicked Lady as she pulled herself to a sitting position. "I think you really need to set your alarm early or something."

Usagi blinked. "You know Wiseman?"

"I am under consideration to join his Black Moon Clan." Wicked Lady looked over at Sailor Mercury and Jupiter. "I am from what you would call the future and just realized why mother turned from the caring though misguided person Wiseman faced so many years ago into the egotistical narcissistic bitch I know. It was all thanks to Sailor Pluto not telling what her idea of Cleansing everyone on Earth of their evil would do to her."

"Cleansing their evil? You say that like it is a bad thing," said Usagi.

"It is," said Sailor Nemesis. "Yin and yang must always be in balance. Throw that balance off and eventually forces will mount to put things back in balance. As long as there is a Neo-Queen Serenity there must be a Wiseman but unlike her there is no one destined to be Wiseman." Sailor Nemesis then smiled like a shark. "Though, I have taken the trouble to nearly ensure that the best candidate for Wiseman will be chosen."

In another realm of reality Sailor Pluto bristled. Something had slammed through her Time Gates from the future with a force that had woken her out of her suspended animation sleep only be knocked out for nearly a day by the second force wave and now it appeared that same second force was trying to sway Sailors Mercury, Jupiter, and Moon. It was well past time to act. She raised her staff to teleport in and clean up the mess.

Elsewhere Ranma was being bored in his classroom when he heard the window shatter. Jumping up and turning to face whoever it was Ranma was surprised to see Wiseman's crystal coming toward him.

"All beings make their own destiny," he thought he heard a female voice coming from the crystal say, "but I will not let the fate of who this world's defender of life will be be left to random chance. If there is a Neo-Queen Serenity you must be Wiseman but the choice must be yours!"

Separated by two wards two events happened nearly simultaneously: Pluto appeared and Ranma caught the Jakokusuishou of the present time. Ranma looked at the Jakokusuishou as images of other people becoming Wiseman and what they would do passed through his mind. Ranma chuckled. There was no real choice if he truly wanted to uphold the code of the martial artist best or not. "I accept," he whispered.

Wiseman had left out one important detail out about the Jakokusuishou in his tale: it was intelligent and aware with its values shaped over time by its user and those it came in contact with. This meant the present Jakokusuishou relayed in typical modern Ranma fashion of Ranma's acceptance to its future self with typical modern day Ranma results.

Back in Minato ward Sailor Nemesis stood ready with her tiara in her hand for the moment Wicked Lady's verbal dressing down pushed Pluto to the point Pluto lost it and tried to rip the woman's head off. She knew that getting into the middle of one of these verbal brawls before the blows started nearly always gave the combatants a new target: the poor sod who had tried to step in. Several details like them being time travelers and Pluto threatening innocent people as well as a host of accusations about Pluto's influence on Neo-Queen Serenity had flowed from Wicked Lady's mouth. Usagi was staring in shock, though Sailor Nemesis wasn't sure it if was due to the details or the very colorful way they were delivered. Sailor Pluto pointed her staff that looked like a key in Sailor Nemesis' direction and said something but before Sailor Nemesis could even ask what Pluto had said Sailor Nemesis was on her hands and knees dealing with one of the worse headaches she had in a long time.

Usagi blinked as she snapped out trying to deal with the mixture of claims and the foul language used to describe them and ran over to Sailor Nemesis. "Don't, it wasn't her," gasped Sailor Nemesis.

"I know but she threatened your family once before so I can't risk her not taking advantage of this event. Black Moon Prism Power, Make-up!"

Usagi gasped at the variation of her Sailor Moon outfit Wicked Lady was now wearing. "Too dangerous," grunted Sailor Nemesis as she struggled to her feet. "Can't risk battle here, too many people could get hurt."

Pluto took a step back paling as she looked at Sailor Nemesis again and disappeared.

"Thank heavens she didn't call my bluff," Wicked Lady said letting out a breath. "There was no way I could fight her with magical attacks even in this form."

"I don't think that is why she backed off," said Ami. "I think it was because the astronomical symbol for Pluto appeared on her forehead," finished Amy pointing to Sailor Nemesis.

"I am the reincarnation of her mother, the original Sailor Pluto," said Sailor Nemesis as she put her tiara back on her forehead. "Since she is still alive I couldn't claim the power of my original world as the other reincarnated Sailor Senshi can." Sailor Nemesis looked at Wicked Lady. "We both have the same problem and worse we don't have the time to properly fix it."

Wicked Lady grimaced. "The problem being too powerful and not enough knowledge on how to control it. I was so afraid that any magical attack I used would take out the whole block."

Sailor Nemesis sighed. "Try whole city and you would be closer to the power you have in that form."

Wicked Lady paled rapidly. "City?" she squeaked as she rapidly depowered again.

"I don't know any magical attacks and I am having problems. My first attempt at roof hopping in this form put a three-inch deep indentation in someone's wall. I ran here after that fiasco and from my prospective it was slow. Besides we have a new problem."

"The reason you collapsed?" asked Ami.

"It seems the Jakokusuishou of this time has taken to my choice for Wiseman much faster then I expected." Sailor Nemesis smiled. "No matter. I also imported the core of our Ryu that that version of the crystal. The General's wisdom will set him on the right path."

~*~*RS*~*~

Back in Nermia Ranma was learning about the Jakokusuishou's true power. While the Ginzuishou gave a quick power up the Jakokusuishou had been far more subtle—it had given him time. While this Jakokusuishou did not have the raw knowledge and experience that the one his futureself carried it had gleamed one vital piece of information from its brief communication with its future self—that Sun Tzu's _Art of War_ had become a key part of Nemesis culture as it was the cornerstone of the Ryu Wiseman had developed there. Ranma had been curious as from what little he had learned in school Sun Tzu had been a military leader not a martial artist. So here was Ranma in the school library pulling the _Art of War_ from a bookshelf and looking through it.

"All warfare is based on deception," Ranma read raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like Pops," he chuckled.

"If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant." Ranma blinked and reread the passage. He did that with all his opponents.

The more Ranma read of the Laying Plans chapter the more shocked he became. No wonder Wiseman had made this the foundation of his Ryu. The first chapter was nearly a blueprint for the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu and unlike Happosai Sun Tzu was respected. The Waging War chapter was about countries not people but Ranma suspected Wiseman had adopted it at a personal level. Ranma quickly checked out the book and continued to read through the book for the rest of the day.

~*~*RS*~*~

Sailor Nemesis had managed to duck into a building and return to being Wiseman before things had become complicated. Wiseman smiled under his hood as how his youngerself would react to how easily changing forms and roles came to him.

"'There are routes not to be taken; there are armies not to be attacked; there are walled cities not to be besieged; there are grounds not to be penetrated; there are commands not to be obeyed.' Sun Tzu, Art of War, Chapter 8. Nine Changes," quoted Wiseman. "However Sun Tzu also said 'Therefore, the general who knows the advantages of the nine changes knows how to use the troops.'"

"In other words we use what we can and work around the rest," sighed Wicked Lady. "But I thought Sun Tzu was a military man not a martial artist."

Wiseman chuckled. "You forget that like Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto pulls from other Ryu and mixes them together. It is ironic, in that it was precisely because of his reputation as a military genius without equal that I read _Art of War_ to begin with."

"You wanted to see if he had any ideas you could use to fight my mother," said Wicked Lady.

Wiseman again chuckled. "To begin with yes, but I quickly realized that his ideas could form a new foundation to the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto. Especially unlike Happosai, Sun Tzu also provided respectability; something the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto needed if it was to survive. Sun Tzu is so woven into the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto as we practice it that it will be the one piece of information my younger self will have gained from the Jakokusuishou of my time relaying how better than any other possible candidate he would be to become Wiseman."

Wicked Lady nodded. "It will give him a head start to becoming like you but he doesn't have the needed skill, training, or raw knowledge to become a second Wiseman."

Wiseman nodded. "He will realize that he had merely been given a roadmap. Ranma still has to make the journey largely on his own." Wiseman then looked at the Jakokusuishou. "Speaking of journeys, Queen Beryl was the first of the enemies you mentioned; but you mentioned several others. How fast are these other foes going to show up?"

"I don't know. From what mom said the fight with Beryl took nearly the entire year." Wicked Lady stopped frowning. "She said it ended badly and she used the Ginzuishou to somehow fix it. The next two years involved all the other people I told you about."

"No real information about these other groups?"

"The aliens were trying to keep their tree alive but it needed the energy of love something since there were only two of them left they really didn't understand. She didn't talk about Witches 5, Mistress 9, or Pharaoh 90 much and the rare times he did mention them she would start crying when she got to Mistress 9." Wicked Lady narrowed her eyes. "Perhaps mom royally messed up and killed a potential ally."

"Or more likely all that yin ki in that freaking Ginzuishou is clouding your judgment to the point that it could make old P-chan look rational; I suspect it has been influencing you the moment you got hold of it." Wiseman then raised his hand. "However if it had done this to you in such a short time I have to ask what it has done to Neo-Queen Serenity in the some 1,000 years she has had it."

Wicked Lady's eyes widened as she looked at the Ginzuishou and her eyes then turned into narrow slits. "I am going to tear out Pluto's intestines and hang her up by the neck with them."

"Take a number, by the time this is over I think there will be a line," growled Wiseman. Regardless of his personal feelings to how badly the yin ki was messing up Wicked Lady's perception Wiseman could not forget that it had been Pluto who had used such underhanded methods as threatening his family to make him surrender. Wiseman generated a ki ball with the Jakokusuishou in its center. Slowly an image of the building they were in emerged and then got smaller. Eventually the entire ward showed in a little three dimension image inside the globe.

"Neat trick," said Wicked Lady.

"It works on all the latent ki in the city," said Wiseman as the image was flooded with moving bits of color.

Wicked Lady looked at the little image of ki realizing she was looking at the actual people in the ward. She then frowned and pointed to a place in the image that was blank. "What is that?"

Wiseman looked at the image as it grew lager until the globe was totally blank. "It's like the total absence of ki but that is impossible as all living things generate ki. The only think that would explain this would be it is one of the types of ki that I normally don't use for this little technique."

"A type of ki you don't use?" asked Wicked Lady.

"Take for instance the form ki takes at the moment of death. Thanks to the Second World War this city is full of that form of ki and you could use it to see what the city looked before the firebombing." The image in the globe changed showing a very different skyline. "That is strange. It's like a double image," said Wiseman as the image enlarged to show two houses seeming to exist together on the same lot. The image then went blank again. "That is where the 'dead' area is."

The image pulled back again and then it pulled into somewhere else. Wiseman and Wicked Lady watched as a small part of the image developed the same double exposure as the lot but this one was moving. Wiseman reached back and scratched his head through his robe. "Ooookaaayyy. This is new. I think a little trip there is in order."

~*~*RS*~*~

Tomoe Hotaru leaned against a building. She was always so tired. Why did other people have friends and she had none?

"Hey, it's the freak," called out a male voice.

Hotaru sighed. One of the neighborhood bullies had made her his latest project and made her already miserable life living hell.

Deep inside Hotaru's soul Mistress 9 also sighed. Her host was getting _those_ thoughts again. It was starting to get to where she had to assert control on nearly a weekly basis to prevent her host from happily embracing the Silence. It was really getting annoying.

"Hey freak, I'm talking to you," said the voice as Hotaru was shoved to the ground.

Mistress 9 pushed enough of her essence to the surface to look through her host's eyes. This fool was interfering with her host and therefore possibly preventing Pharaoh 90 from coming to Earth and bringing the Silence. Mistress 9 wanted to commit the fool's face and voice to memory so that when her lord and master came she would be able to punish this idiot. A slow agonizing embrace of the Silence lasting several weeks was sounding good about now.

"You know, we could have some fun with the freak," said another voice.

"The freak is a little young for my tastes," said yet another voice.

"That is part of the fun," said second voice.

Mistress 9 mentally growled. Whatever these people were implying had her host in a real state. She might have to maintain control for a full day; something she was not looking forward to. Several weeks of pain and torture for emotionally endangering her host was not going to be enough. Perhaps several months were a more fitting punishment.

Mistress 9 felt her host being picked up and pushed against a wall. Then the front of her host's dress was ripped off. At that point her host was sobbing, begging, pleading. Enraged that she was going to spend more energy in keeping her host alive than should be required Mistress 9 brought herself to the forefront with such force that her host's mind blacked out. Mistress 9 then discovered to her horror that she couldn't call on any of her powers. As her host's dress was ripped away, Mistress 9 gulped at her helplessness. Then she felt something familiar. It was power similar to her master Pharaoh 90 but yet different.

Mistress 9 instinctively reached out and tapped into the power she was feeling. She then smiled as the young body morphed into an adult form. "Endanger my host's wellbeing? You will wish you had never done that," growled Mistress 9 as she grabbed the face of the closest bully.

Wiseman blinked as whatever was in the area had tapped into his Jakokusuishou's power. Before he could voice anything he and Wicked Lady heard someone screaming. Running toward the sound of the voice they found a woman in a torn dress holding the face of an old man while two boys rushed her.

"Cute trick, freak," said one of the boys as he grabbed the woman's hands by the wrists. "But it looks like it doesn't work if you can't touch us with your hands."

Wiseman and Wicked Lady watched as the old man grew younger until he was the same age as the two boys. "For that bitch you are going to pay," said the man turned boy as he punched the woman in the stomach.

"The only one who is going to pay is you, rapist filth," growled Wiseman as he grabbed the boy and shoved his face into the nearest wall knocking him out. "Now you two idiots can show you do your thinking above the waistline or I can hurt you. Please, take the second option," said Wiseman as he shoved his left arm clear to the wrist into a brick wall.

"AGGGHHH," screamed the two punks as they ran from Wiseman.

Mistress 9 blinked and then smiled at her savior. "Thank you for both your power and personal assistance. I am Mistress 9, servant of Pharaoh 90."

"I am Wiseman, Advisor of the Black Moon Clan of the planet Nemesis, and this is Wicked Lady-one of our candidates for membership," replied Wiseman. "I know of Pharaoh 90's plans and given they will supposedly kill at least 90 present of this world's population I cannot allow them to succeed."

Mistress 9 frowned. "If you can't let him succeed why did you help me?"

"Because it part of my code to help those who cannot help themselves," said Wiseman. "Also I didn't give you my power. You accessed that on your own," he finished as he pulled out the Jakokusuishou.

Mistress 9 looked at the crystal and widened her eyes and looked up at the man holding it. "Of all the people who could have wielded it, it has determined you are the best suited." Mistress 9 narrowed her eyes as she recognized the power as being where her master got its power. Clearly there was a power struggle going on between this Wiseman and Pharaoh 90. "What can you offer me?"

Wiseman smiled and touched Mistress 9 on the shoulder. "Why tell you when I can give you a sample?"

Mistress 9 gasped as some form of power flowed into her host's body.

"My code like that of all the Black Moon Clan is to help those who can't help themselves and teach them so they don't come to depend on us," said Wiseman as the power continued to flow in her.

Mistress 9 trembled slightly as her senses expanded to levels she had though impossible from a human body. The same energy being poured into her body, to a lesser extent, was in every living thing around her-even beings she could not see. Her senses then turned inward and she saw the same energy in her host but it was flickering like a dying flame. Somehow she knew at one time this Wiseman had been like this and the power she was feeling had nothing to do with his crystal. He had somehow turned a similar dying flame into the source of power she was now feeling. If her host could be strengthened to even a fraction of this level of power she would not need another host for decades.

"I have figured out my Jakokusuishou can look in what might have been," said Wiseman as he clutched Mistress 9's hand in his own the crystal between them.

Mistress 9's world exploded in a series of images. In all of them she saw her own death either at the hands of the Sailor Sensei or Pharaoh 90. Mistress 9 bristled in anger. She was not a tool to be used and then discarded; Pharaoh 90 would pay for intending to treat her so. 'But would this Wiseman be any better?' Mistress 9 thought.

The images shifted and Mistress 9 saw examples of how Wiseman had kept his word regardless of the personal consequences. Mistress 9 saw that while an attempt at betrayal on her part would not leave her dead it certainly would result in a world of pain. Clearly Wiseman was better than Pharaoh 90 just from a survival standpoint.

Mistress 9 fell to one knee. "Mistress 9!" said Wiseman concerned.

Mistress 9 looked up at Wiseman smiling. "How may I serve, my Lord Wiseman?"

~*~*Author Note*~*~

Slight change here. I realized that Nephrite should be dead if I am to episode 26 in the Sailor Moon anime timeline. Also Zoisite landed it self to a pun that gave a better plot development regarding Wicked Lady as well as a subtle in-joke (Poi is a Hawaiian dish).


	5. Chap 05 Sun Tzu, Sensei

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 5 – Sun Tzu, Sensei

"Please stand as I would prefer to talk to your face rather then the top of your head," said Wiseman.

As Mistress 9 stood Wiseman said, "From what I see your presence is the only thing keeping your host going but you need more energy than she can currently provide on her own."

Mistress 9 nodded. "Yes, I feel the energy you gave this body slowly fading."

"Once I train both of you in my Ryu that will no longer be a problem. Eventually she will be able to generate enough excess ki to argument her speed and strength as I do. If she becomes skilled enough she will even be able to use her ki as a weapon," said Wiseman a white globe forming in his hand. "You comment does explain why she was generating the type of ki I have only before seen in people about to die. But I had never seen it so strong before."

Mistress 9 chuckled. "That is likely due to the fact this body had already been embraced by the Silence when her father asked me to bring it back to life." Mistress 9 then scowled. "Her soul still being in the body was an unexpected complication. Somehow it gave her the power to heal people. As a result then they were treating her so badly that she kept considering embracing the Silence on nearly a weekly basis. I needed her alive until Pharaoh 90 came, when he was supposed to grant me full ascension." Mistress 9 then snorted. "Your crystal showed me that he considers me nothing than a tool to be used and discarded. He will pay for planning to treat me with such contempt."

Mistress 9 finally looked straight at Wiseman. "Your crystal also showed that you keep your word even if you find out later it was a mistake. With Pharaoh 90 I have no future no matter how loyal I serve him. With you I have something."

"Yes but know this. I had enough of power plays and secret agendas before I was Wiseman to last me the 1,000 years I have been around. What will your host have?" asked Wiseman an edge to his voice.

Mistress 9 felt a shiver of excitement. This Wiseman was so connected to the Silence that she could feel it in his voice. Mistress 9 knew Wiseman wouldn't kill her but could make her wish he had if she gave him an answer he didn't like and didn't approve of her actions afterward. "My host died before I ever entered her body. If the soul had not remained all there would have been would have been an empty husk that I simply animated."

"In Chapter 3 of _Art of War_ Sun Tzu says that one of the five factors in determining who will win in a battle is 'one who knows how to unite upper and lower ranks in purpose will be victorious.' Sun Tzu also says that if you face a foe twice as strong as your own to divide their strength," said Wiseman his voice still cold.

Mistress 9 simply stood there for a moment. "You are saying letting my host know of my existence and convincing her we have a common goal will make me stronger."

"In part," said Wiseman his voice still cold and firm.

Mistress 9 frowned thinking over the quotes Wiseman had given. "By fighting each other my host and I are weaker than we would be otherwise."

Wiseman nodded. "Also Sun Tzu warns 'When doing battle, seek a quick victory. A protracted battle will blunt weapons and dampen ardor.' How long have you been in this battle with your host?"

Mistress 9 winced. "It seems like years. She's tired all the time and I couldn't do anything when I forced myself to the surface."

Mistress 9 then moved out of the alley and closed her eyes.

~*~*RS*~*~

Tomoe Hotaru opened her eyes to find herself out of the alley she had been thrown into. Looking down she was stunned to find not the body of an 11 year old but that of a very mature woman. Also instead of her torn school outfit she was dressed in a fine formal gown. Hotaru put her hand to her head as she tried to sort out what had happened to her.

"Mistress 9, are you alright?" asked a male voice.

Hotaru turned to see a man in a torn purple robe looking at her with a woman in a similar formal gown standing next to him. "Who are you and who is Mistress 9? I am Tomoe Hotaru."

"I am Wiseman and this Wicked Lady," said the robed figure in a firm and clear voice. "As for Mistress 9, she is the being inside your body. She said your father asked her to bring you back to life. She said she was expecting to animate an empty husk and your soul still being there was...unexpected."

"You mean if not for this Mistress 9 _thing_ I wouldn't have been going through the living hell I call my life?" fumed Hotaru.

"I doubt your life is anything like the nightmare mine was when I was five years older than your current age," said Wiseman folding his arms. "My father had this dream of making me into the greatest martial artist of my generation. He kept me away from things he thought would distract me from that goal like being with my mother, having friends, living in a house because it would make me soft, and well you get the idea. Didn't help that Pops would try training me in any technique he found even if the moron didn't read through it entirely before trying to teach it."

"At least her father cared enough to want her to live, Wiseman," snapped Wicked Lady tears starting to stream down her face. "You said that the Yin ki in her crystal was twisting my perceptions of my mother. My mother doesn't need the Ginzuishou to come back here to the past. If she, father, and their friends really cared for me then they would be here in the past. But they aren't. What more proof do you need that my parents don't love me?" cried Wicked Lady.

Hotaru went over and comforted the now sobbing Wicked Lady. Still holding the sobbing woman Hotaru turned to the figure of Wiseman.

"Believe me as bad as you think your life is there are others far worse," said Wiseman as he touched Wicked Lady's forehead causing a black crescent moon to form on her forehead. "Let's go home. The Black Moon Clan will be happy to meet their newest member."

Wicked Lady stopped sobbing and looked at Wiseman in shock. "I don't understand."

"Even though you felt your mother didn't love you tried to help her younger self against something you felt was a danger. You showed restraint against someone you felt was a foe because it would have endangered innocents, and you didn't immediately condemn Mistress 9's actions but instead waited for more information."

"But what about training?" asked Wicked Lady as she wiped her tears.

"Training is to have the proper amount of control and it never ends. That is why the Ayakashi sisters will be trying to train under Kě Lún. They are going to keep her busy," chuckled Wiseman.

"Won't they be angry that I achieved membership in a few days while it took them years?"

Wiseman again chuckled. "Quite the reverse, they will see it as an example of great emotional strength. Something they will likely feel they need learning under Kě Lún. She admitted that just because she taught me everything I know about her people that didn't mean she taught me all _she_ knew, as many of her people's views were not practical on Nemeses. I have no doubt the Ayakashi sisters may feel torn between their heritage and family, but I also know they will make the right choice." Wiseman gestured to Hotaru. "You and Mistress 9 have a lot to sort through so I will take my leave. You can contact me through some friends in the Nerima ward at a place called the Tendo Dojo. If you run into anyone else who tries to force you to do something you don't want to I've given you a little gift to deal with them."

Wiseman then put his arm around Wicked Lady and did a leap to the top of a nearby building carrying the woman with fantastic ease. Hotaru just stared at the sight of Wiseman going from roof to roof like some human grasshopper her mouth hanging open.

'Oh yes, he will be a much better master than Pharaoh 90,' said a female voice.

Hotaru turned to see who was speaking and found no one. 'Not surprising child as I am Mistress 9 and therefore inside you.'

Hotaru scowled. "You are the one who has kept me in this living hell," she said angrily.

'Please just think to me. Unless you want people to think you have lost your mind,' said the voice. 'Wiseman showed me that Pharaoh 90 considers me the same way I used to consider you—a tool to be used and then discarded when it had served its purpose.' The voice sighed. 'Finding out that fact had made me more understanding of what you must feel about me.'

'You understand only because you found out your Pharaoh 90 also thinks you're as disposable as you thought I was,' thought Hotaru angrily.

'Fair enough. But the only reason Pharaoh 90 even knew of your world was the very experiment you father did that killed you and your mother and attracted his attention. Pharaoh 90 even sent another being to take over Kaolinite's body. Fairly easy as she like the rest of the Witches 5 wasn't human to being with. They are the result of your father's experiments.'

Hotaru frowned as she walked home Mistress 9 filling her on what the original plan had been and how Pharaoh 90 had used her death to set up an alliance with her father. Eventually he stopped being an unwilling accomplice and threw himself fully into helping Pharaoh 90 even going as far as experimenting on himself so that Germatoid could enter him as Mistress 9 had her.

She opened the door and walked to her father's lab. Kaolinite and her father looked up as she opened the door and their eyes widened. "Mistress 9?!" they gasped.

Hotaru scowled as she walked into the room. She had been so busy thinking and listening to Mistress 9 that she had forgotten about the change in her body. Hotaru then felt her heart break as her father looked at her in eager anticipation. She now knew that Mistress 9 had not lied to her about her father's current relationship with Pharaoh 90. Worse he was not even the least bit sad that his daughter had supposedly been 'consumed' by the being in her. If anything he looked happier than a parent who had learned their only child had just gained entrance to Tokyo University.

Kaolinite then frowned. "Something is wrong. This is not Mistress 9!" she exclaimed taking a step back.

'Kuso,' spat Mistress 9 as Professor Tomoe Souichi scowled.

"Actually, Kaolinite, she is here," said Hotaru narrowing her eyes. "And she has been _very_ chatty with me on my way home."

"Hotaru?!" asked Kaolinite her eyes widening. "How?"

"You can thank Wiseman," smiled Hotaru. Her smile then dropped as her eyes started to tear. "I wanted to believe Mistress 9 was lying to me but I see she wasn't. We are both leaving."

"Like hell you are," fumed Kaolinite her hair grabbing Hotaru.

"Moko Takabisha!" yelled Hotaru who then blinked as Kaolinite was blasted by a blue ball that had come from her hand.

"What the hell was that?!" asked Professor Tomoe echoing the same reaction by Mistress 9.

"Wiseman's gift," whispered Hotaru looking the hand the blue ball had come from.

"Who the blazes is this Wiseman?" raged Professor Tomoe.

"Someone I trust more than either you or that Germatoid being inside you, father," said Hotaru as she turned and ran.

The revelation that his daughter knew about Germatoid had been enough to cause Professor Tomoe to mentally freeze. As Hotaru ran for the outer door of her home Kaolinite recovered to see Professor Tomoe just standing there. Grabbing the man by the shoulders she shook him. "You fool!" she bellowed. "You let her get away."

"She knew about Germatoid," said Professor Tomoe as he finally looked at Kaolinite. "Only four people knew that: myself, you, Pharaoh 90, and…Mistress 9."

Kaolinite's face rapidly paled. "But that would mean your daughter and Mistress 9 are working together."

"Worst this Wiseman gave her the ability to throw some form of energy that _isn't _magic. I have no idea what it is. All I do know is the one person who could bring Pharaoh 90 to Earth has turned against us and sided with my daughter for some reason." Professor Tomoe then scowled. "It has to be this Wiseman she spoke of. He has somehow brainwashed Mistress 9 against us. Once we find him and destroy him she will return to her normal self and bring Pharaoh 90 to Earth and he will reward us."

**~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~**

Queen Beryl really wanted things to return to where they have been before Zoisite found a way to really screw them up. Even with Metaria inside her and her Shitennou enforcing her orders Queen Beryl knew that if things went sour too quickly she could easily have a revolution on her hands. This Sailor Nemesis and her ability to manipulate ki undermined Queen Beryl's ability to rule then 100 defeats.

If the presence of a Sailor Nemesis wasn't bad enough they had a Sailor Black Moon thrown into the mix that spouted stuff about a Black Moon Clan being involved. What Queen Beryl knew about Nemesis itself was 12,000 years out of date and she had no idea as to what this Black Moon or its clan was.

However, the worst part was these new enemies were following the 2,500 year-old wisdom of a military commander she didn't know anything about. Military commanders came and went but only the best had their ideas and methods survive them and even then changes in technology or society generally made those ideas and methods obsolete within a century. Yet this Sun Tzu had been so brilliant and flexible that he had survived 2,500 years; no military commander of the Moon Kingdom could even come close to that record. That one of these new Sailor Senshi had defeated one of her Shitennou without firing a single magical attack alone spoke of the brilliance of this Sun Tzu. Never mind Sailor Nemesis' claim that there were other humans with similar skills.

In desperation Queen Beryl had decided to send in youma to Earth directly to see if perhaps they could do better than Zoisite had; after all the youma had returned able to move while Zoisite was temporarily paralyzed. Sailor Nemesis had even given a place to look for proof of these youma quality humans. In a week she would send Zoisite back to Earth to gather what the youma had collected and return. It was such a simple assignment that she felt that he could handle that without botching it.

**~*~*Tokyo*~*~**

'Blast, I really botched it,' Hotaru thought to herself.

'No, there was no other way that could have gone down,' said Mistress 9. 'There was no way they would have believed either of us.'

'The only option left to us is to find this Tendo Dojo in the Nerima ward,' sighed Hotaru. 'This is going to be a long day.'

In the Nerima ward Ranma had finished reading through the _Art of War_ and was now thinking on what he had read. 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.' Just how many times had Ranma gotten into a situation he couldn't initially handle by ignoring that one simple passage? Then was the passage regarding the five faults generals could be subject to. How many times had he let his delicacy of honor regarding martial arts get him into a mess? Far too many times.

Worst yet Sun Tzu's teachings were easily accessible to anyone who bothered to go to the nearest library or bookstore. Just because most of his current group of rivals and opponents didn't know Sun Tzu from the American orange called Sunkist didn't mean a future rival or opponent would be just as ignorant. The only good thing in the mess was getting the teachings was one matter but following them was something else. Ranma pulled out the Jakokusuishou letting his ki flow through the crystal as Akane approached.

"Ranma, I know Wiseman is supposedly your future self but why did he send you his crystal?" asked Akane.

"He didn't. This is the Jakokusuishou of the present day."

"What?!" asked Akane shocked as the members of the Black Moon Clan ran on to the school grounds.

"Ran-chan, Nabiki hinted that there was another you who showed up with a family a couple of days ago but I didn't believe her," said Ukyo as she walked up.

"It is quite true, dear ancestor," smiled Kōan.

"Ancestor?"

"I'm Kōan, your descendent from what you would call the thirtieth century," chuckled Kōan.

Esmeraude gave a sly smile as she eyed Nabiki. "I'm surprised my ancestor muffed her offer of selling you the information so badly."

Prince Demando shook his head. "Esmeraude, I know that look. Don't you think keeping yourself occupied with myself and Wiseman isn't enough?"

Esmeraude started laughing. "My dear Prince Demand, you know how I am attracted to power. My ancestor has a different form of power than what you and Wiseman have. Besides you said that waking up with me in your bed is not unpleasant."

"But you just said she is your ancestor!" exclaimed Ukyo.

"So is Wiseman and that hasn't stopped me from being in his bed from time to time," grinned Esmeraude as she looked at Ranma licking her lips causing the martial artist to take a slight step backward. Esmeraude then broke into a very familiar laugh. "I'm just playing with you, Ranma. I don't, I believe the human expression is, play the field. While you are powerful in your own right and have this time period's Jakokusuishou you just are not in the class of your future self. Even with the head start you have gained it will take you a long time to even start becoming the Wiseman I so adore. Never mind you have enough female problems as it is."

"So the vile sorcerer tries to entrap another fair maiden! I the Blue Thunder shall rescue you!" exclaimed Kuno running up swinging his bokken.

Esmeraude groaned putting her head in her hands. "I really didn't need the demonstration my family tree started out as a pecan-acorn hybrid."

"Huh?" said Ranma.

"Full of nuts," sighed Esmeraude as she simply reached out with one hand and grabbed the bokken.

"What the…? What _are_ you?" asked Ukyo looking at the three times longer than normal arm.

"You said human expression," said Ranma frowning.

"Now the Blue Thunder sees. You are a demonic minion summoned by the evil Sorcerer Saotome to distract me from my true love."

Esmeraude scowled as she looked at Kuno. "Demonic? That is the kind of racist garbage I would expect out of Neo-Queen Serenity's mouth. I am proud of my youma heritage." Esmeraude then narrowed her eyes. "A lot prouder then I am admitting that I have _you_ as relative. Rage's Inferno!"

Kuno was briefly enveloped in a ball of red ki. When it was gone, Kuno was a sooted mess his bokken looking like a burnt matchstick with a little flame flickering on the end of it. His clothes were in similar shape though they simply smoking though little flames could be seen in the boy's hair.

"I fight on!" said Kuno as he fell over.

Esmeraude let the bokken drop as her arm returned to normal human length. "I normally prefer not to do that but I really was not up to listening to him spout bad poetry while I beat him up."

Prince Demando shook his head as he picked up the burn bokken. "You need be more careful. This is not Nemesis."

"True, but this isn't the Earth we were expecting to walk into either."

"True but you must remember Neo-Queen Serenity's ideas regarding youma didn't come from her empty little head," said Prince Demando as he rubbed a sooted spot on the bokken with his gloved thumb. "They were simply an extension of the ideas so common in this time that humans used against each other. Anything that endangered the "purity" of the culture was a threat to be neutralized or destroyed."

"Never mind stupidity about certain profession making the decedents unclean," commented Blue Saphir. "Not that the youma of this time were any better."

"All true but the future is not in the hands of those who stand timidly in the corner," said the voice of Sa Fulang above them. Ranma looked up and frowned. "Is this the same ki technique Wicked Lady used? She said it was the Umisenken and Pops invented it."

Everyone watched as the grass in a particular area went flat as if something had just stepped on it. Sa Fulang then faded into view a frown in his face. "Your father invented the original Umisenken not the improved version that I just used. The original version simply masked your presence; it didn't make you invisible."

"Wicked Lady was invisible. Later she did the same thing Kuno's bokken that she had done to Shampoo and Mousse. I think Wiseman called it a heavy ki technique."

Prince Demando looked at Ranma raising an eyebrow. "It would make an object or person heavier but there is something wrong with the ki put into this object. It is not pure ki like it should be but it is not straight emotional ki either." Prince Demando then looked at the bokken. "However I think like emotional ki whatever was used on this could have the same bad long term effects."

"Bad bong term effects? What bad long term effects?" asked Ranma worried.

"Each use of emotional ki in battle auras and attacks makes it easier to produce that emotion making further use all the easier," explained Prince Demando. "Eventually, if done often and long enough, the emotion used becomes more and more pronounced. For example, person who used fear would eventually become terrified of everything. Someone who used depression would eventually become more and more suicidal, and so on."

Ranma looked at Prince Demando in horror as the full ramifications hit him. "What about confidence?" he whispered.

"You come to believe you can handle anything even if it is totally impossible. Eventually it would result in total megalomania." Prince Demando looked at Ranma again his eyes narrowing. "As Wiseman himself said your over use of confidence ki may have been a major factor in dismissing the dangers of Neo-Queen Serenity until too late."

"That means Ryoga and I have to keep the use of the Mōko Takabisha and Shishi Hōkōdan to a minimum until we find alternatives."

Perz pulled out a tattered and worn bandana. "I wonder if _that_ is what really happened to my ancestor. The story was he was really depressed about not able to be on Earth and gave this to his 10-year-old daughter before he went for a little walk. About half an hour later the sky was lit up by a sickly green orange pillar rising into the sky. When everyone went to the scene all they found was his backpack and some of his extra bandanas. The story was he had tried to go home and blown himself up from the effort but I have always wondered…"

"He was my rival and a friend," said the voice of Wiseman.

Looking in the direction of the voice Ranma saw Wiseman with Wicked Lady approaching slowly. Wiseman reached into his robe and pulled out a similarly faded and worn bandana. "He really didn't want to give up the Shishi Hōkōdan and even now I wonder if he was really trying to go home or had simply gone far enough from everyone to make sure they wouldn't be caught in the blast…when he blew himself up."

"Wiseman," said Sa Fulang. "I know part of what you are going through. After all, I get the memories of my pervious incarnations through the Jakokusuishou." Sa Fulang then morphed into a female form. "Please, my old friend let me help."

Wiseman changed into what was clearly a female form and ran into Sa Fulang's open arms. Wiseman started to cry and finally sob. "Sa Fulang, I thought I could handle it. I thought I could handle being with all my original friends and family again. But the fact is I can't."

Sa Fulang just stood there stroking the hood of the now sobbing female Wiseman. "General is wisdom, credibility, benevolence, courage, and discipline," said Sa Fulang softly.

"What was that?" asked Ukyo.

"It's a quote of Sun Tzu," said Ranma as he looked at the book in his hand and back at the sobbing Wiseman. "It's what keeps everything on Nemesis together, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is the social glue that keeps such widely diverse groups and even races together," said Sa Fulang

"Wiseman, I know what it is to be alone but I don't understand this," said Wicked Lady causing Wiseman to stop sobbing and look at the time traveling woman. "You have the Black Moon Clan who clearly loves and cares for you a great deal but you are even more an emotional wreck than I am when I first got here. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" exploded Esmeraude. "What do you mean what's wrong?"

"Easy Esmeraude," said Wiseman holding up a hand. "I have an idea but I hope that I am wrong. Does Neo-Queen Serenity do a Cleansing after a funeral?"

Wicked Lady looked at Wiseman a puzzled expression on her face. "If there were a funeral I guess she would but there hasn't been one as long as I can remember."

"That don't make sense," said Esmeraude frowning. "Even with our martial arts and youma blood combined we're lucky to live 300 years and normal humans certainly don't live that long."

"Key phrase in that statement is 'normal humans'," said Wiseman. "I wouldn't put it past the airhead to try and remove sorrow along with hate, anger, and all the other so called evil emotions."

"But you can't remove sorrow," said Prince Demando.

"Not entirely but you can remove one of its main causes: death. Primarily death by old age. The problem is there is a very nasty down side to that besides the obvious ones." Wiseman looked at Wicked Lady removing his hood. "How many other children were there in your area?"

"There were no other children," said Wicked Lady.

Wiseman nodded his female features grim. "_That_ is the nasty downside to eliminating death by old age. If no one dies then you don't _need_ children. With no children there is no change. With no change there is no life—only a mockery of it." Wiseman stepped to Ukyo and ran his female fingers down her cheek. "Ucchan, I really wish I could have loved you the way you wanted but I couldn't. Heck, I'm not sure in this time of my life that I even knew what love really was but I do know that I never did love you in the way a husband does a wife. Brother and sister love perhaps."

"Sister? I thought I was the cute fiancée?" fumed Ukyo.

Wiseman sighed. "Ucchan, I assumed that my youngerself has claimed the Jakokusuishou to make sure no nutjob who thinks the best way to save the world is to destroy it gets their hands on it. Am I correct?"

Ranma nodded.

"Thanks to how the Jakokusuishou will allow him to channel ki, Ranma is immune from aging. He will watch as his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren are born, grow up, grow old, and finally die. I know because that is what I have done for the last 1,000 years. Sa Fulang is the only one to really understand what I go through because the Jakokusuishou can give him back his memories from his previous life cycle. Seeing you all alive again after I saw you all grow old and die was a little much even for me."

The female Sa Fulang put a hand on Wiseman's shoulder. "I have similar misgivings about seeing by beloved Kiima again." Sa Fulang then gave a humorless chuckle. "That is why some seven centuries ago I tapped into enough of the Jakokusuishou's power to duplicate Wiseman's curse. I wanted to give him a mate as immortal as himself."

"Mate? You don't mean…," Ranma asked as he turned an interesting shade of green.

"Only after about two centuries," chuckled Wiseman at the reaction of his youngerself. Wiseman then scowled at the expressions of Akane and Ukyo. "Come on, guys," said Wiseman folding his female arms. "Do you think that the normal views of male and female relationships would remain the same once the youma became integrated into our society? Youma have the natural ability to change form."

"Like this." said Prince Demando as his strong male form morphed into a stunning female form. "Form and function."

Esmeraude morphed into a male form and cuddled up to Prince (Princess?) Demando grinning. "Does this mean I get to be on top this time?"

The female Prince Demando rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Esmeraude, behave," said Wiseman.

Esmeraude chuckled as she morphed back into her female form. "I'm just teasing. Though given the interesting expressions on your old friends' faces I think that may have been a little fast."

"Different time," commented Blue Saphir. "Our culture is as alien to them as theirs would be to their ancestors 1,000 years ago."

"You don't even have to go back that far, Saphir," said Sa Fulang. "Japan's modern era is not even 200 years old."

As the conversation went into cultural comparisons and everybody stopped looking like they had eaten Akane's latest attempt at food two pair of eyes were watching the little group.

One pair belonged to Mousse who was in duck form listening to the conversation deeply troubled about the revelation that the Black Moon Clan was in fact the decedents of humans and youma. Youma had caused enough trouble to be put on the Joketsuzoku's threats to be killed as quickly as possible list centuries ago and yet the four people Cologne was supposed to train had youma in their ancestry. But Wiseman had called Cologne co-wife so she must have (or would) approve of these joinings. Mousse realized that he was looking at what if not handled correctly could result in the first Joketsuzoku civil war in who knew how many centuries.

The other pair of eyes belonged to a youma. She had been attracted to the district by stories of strong martial artists that she though might provide lots of life energy for Queen Beryl. This was something new and interesting. Humans strong enough that youma considered them viable breeding stock? Even Queen Beryl wasn't considered that strong. In fact, the only reason the youma let Beryl and her human followers rule over them was because of the Metaria being inside Beryl and her followers being strong and dedicated. Now the youma had an alternative in this Wiseman and the Black Moon Clan he represented.

The youma would have to find out more. Wiseman might have already claimed the strong humans in this area for his clan but there might be others. Also whatever Esmeraude did to that boy it certainly wasn't magic. The youma changed form into a nondescript human female and thought about what name she would use to infiltrate the little human community.

**~*~*RS*~*~**

Hotaru was surprised by the amount of walking she had done. She wondered if this was another product of Wiseman's gift. Mistress 9 mentally shrugged her shoulders and then noticed something in Hotaru's soul. Whatever it was it sang with the power of the Silence and there seemed to be an object code as well as an access code to it. Hotaru smiled as Mistress 9 brought the discovery to her attention. It was possibly another gift of Wiseman or something that had been there all the time. In either case it was a form of power and both she and Mistress 9 could use more power. The two part access was likely to prevent her from accidentally accessing this new power until she or perhaps they were ready.

Gesturing Hotaru and Mistress 9 were both pleased to see a little henshi stick appear. They had accessed the device and all that remained was the access code. "Saturn Planet Power, Make up!"

At the Time Gates a vein pulsed on Pluto's forehead. Concentrating Pluto accessed the time period the initial energy had come from. "Futureself, what the blazes is going on?" growled Pluto. "I've got what looks like ten people from your time here, two Sailor Senshi I have never heard of showing up, Sailor Saturn awake, and clear evidence that your present is no longer a viable future for this world." After a moment of silence Pluto angrily slapped the side of the Time Gates. "Damn it, answer me, I know we have a connection." Pluto was surprised when the image that formed was not of her futureself but of an older Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon?"

"I am her futureself, Neo-Queen Serenity," responded the woman a scowl on her face.

"Where is my futureself?"

Neo-Queen Serenity winced. "Out cold. Whatever my daughter did with the Ginzuishou knocked her out like a light. My husband is taking care of her."

Pluto frowned. "Your daughter did something with the Ginzuishou?"

Neo-Queen Serenity nodded. "She was so tired of being stuck in a 10-year old body even by the age of 50 that she started looking for alternatives. She found one in a ki based technique by a martial artist but I was not letting her going anywhere near a martial arts Ryu whose grandmaster was a woman groping pervert. I guess after 850 years of my failure with the Ginzuishou she decided to sneak in my room and use it convince Pluto to let her access the Time Gates. I didn't think she wanted to grow up so bad that she would attack one of her friends like this."

Pluto looked at Neo-Queen Serenity shaking her head. "She likely didn't even see my future self. Her natural reaction would have been to forbid access but since the order was coming from someone of the royal line with the Ginzuishou the Time Gates would have reacted badly to the conflicting instructions. The backlash alone would have knocked your Pluto out."

"Pluto, you said there were ten people in your time. Who are the other nine?"

Pluto blinked. "You didn't send them? But the time aura around them shows that Sailor Nemesis and Sailor Black Moon are from _your_ time."

"I've never even heard of a Sailor Senshi with the name Saturn, Nemesis, or Black Moon!" exclaimed Neo-Queen Serenity. Neo-Queen Serenity then frowned in thought. "Though, there is something familiar about the name Nemesis but what was it?"

"Kuso," said the voice of Sailor Mercury. "Nemesis was the planet where you exiled those rebels nearly 1,000 years ago." After a pause Sailor Mercury again spoke. "There was a radio signal sent by Pioneer 11, one of the old NASA probes, about 35 hours and again about 5 hours ago. Based on the parallax of the two signals the only place they could have come from is Nemesis."

Neo-Queen Serenity turned to where Pluto assumed Mercury was. "Any idea on what the messages were?"

"They appear to be attempts at contacting the Royal Family of Nemesis. It appears whoever is sending the signal isn't sure it is even reaching Earth. Not surprising as Pioneer 11 should have been 90 times more distant then Nemesis by now and they likely are not sure that even the Royal Family of Nemesis would be looking for the signals of an over 1,000 year old space probe."

Sailor Mercury walked to where Pluto could see her as she scanned the information on her visor. "The first message is very brief. 'Received signal of safe arrival on Earth for negotiations but following update signal garbled. Please resend.' The second message is even stranger. 'Received automatic status signal of all nine Royal Family members as well as Black Moon Clan candidate status for person calling herself Wicked Lady. Acknowledged Wicked Lady as name of … the daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity. Good tidings to the Black Moon Clan and especially to their and our sensei Wiseman.'"

Neo-Queen Serenity slowly turned her right eyebrow twitching. "Pluto…" she began.

Pluto was way ahead of the future version of Sailor Moon as she brought up the display for the Time Gates. "Appears that she established a connection between your time and this one. This also explains the two temporal blasts I got. The first one that woke me up out of suspended animation was your daughter coming through. The second one that knocked me out for nearly a day came from Nemesis."

"I don't want a readout; I want access to your time so I can find my daughter," growled Neo-Queen Serenity. "Especially as she seems to be in the hands of the royal family of people I exiled from Earth because they tried to overthrow me. Every second she is in their clutches is a second that they can use to turn her against me."

Pluto stopped and sighed. "It is not that simple. Sailor Nemesis manifested the symbol of a Sailor Senshi so I know who she _really_ is."

Neo-Queen Serenity backed up in shock. "A Sailor Senshi reincarnated on Nemesis?"

Pluto looked up her eyes starting to tear. "She has _my_ symbol. There was only one Sailor Pluto before me and that was my mother."

Neo-Queen Serenity scowled. "To turn mother against daughter is unforgivable. In the name of the Moon the Black Moon Clan of Nemesis will be punished for what they have done."

**~*~*Author Notes*~*~**

It may seem that I am bringing Neo-Queen Serenity in quickly but it really makes sense that if she wasn't occupied she would try to go after her daughter and once Sailor Saturn showed up Pluto would want to know what was going on.

This and the previous chapter were designed to explain how as Wiseman Ranma was able keep wildly different cultures and eventually people from trying to kill each other without going to we hate the Sailor Senshi path that the other possible candidates for Wiseman lead the Black Moon Clan down.

I know Sun Tzu appears a lot in this and the previous chapter but remember that Wiseman Ranma partly explained why that is: _The Art of War_ replaced Happosai's teachings as the foundation of his Ryu. Remember that in the canon Ranma ate, breathed, and lived martial artists to the point of excess. Wiseman is no different regarding his use of Sun Tzu's teachings; that is why Sa Fulang uses it to comfort Wiseman.


	6. Chap 06 Once and Future Wiseman

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 6 – Once and Future Wiseman

"Wiseman," said Prince Demando.

"I felt it. It seems related to the Sailor Sensei magic but I can't quite place it. It's not Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, or even Pluto."

"Perhaps is one of the unaccounted Sailor Senshi: Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune," said Blue Saphir.

"Whoever it is it is coming toward this ward," said Wiseman as he looked around him. "Too many people here for a battle if they decide to shoot first and ask questions later."

"Can't really go back to the dojo either less we have a battle develop there," said Esmeraude. "Looks like living off the land time."

"Not practical as it would take us too far outside of Tokyo. But getting away from this area and seeing if they are somehow homing on one of us is a prudent step," said Wiseman. Wiseman then looked at Ranma. "Word of advice, be careful. The Sailor Senshi have a low threshold for weirdness but as long as you aren't endangering anyone most of them will listen to reason." Wiseman then turned to address the Black Moon Clan. "Now, let's make ourselves scarce."

"We can't," said Wicked Lady frowning. "It looks like I owe you an apology, Wiseman."

Wiseman turned surprised. "I don't understand."

"Mother and her friends just came through the Time Gates. It looks like she may really love me after all." Wicked Lady looked at Wiseman tears in her eyes. "Wiseman, I am so confused."

Wiseman sighed. "We can't help you because we are not exactly unbiased regarding Neo-Queen Serenity."

"No, but I am going to need someone to convince her and her friends you haven't brainwashed me."

"As risky as it is there is only one person I know who can do that: her younger self Sailor Moon."

"But in a contest between Sailor Moon and Neo-Queen Serenity wouldn't it always go to the later because she has the knowledge advantage?" asked Ranma.

Wiseman chuckled. "I see you are trying to apply Sun Tzu's teachings already. But remember each saying not only can stand on its own but can be combined with others."

Ranma nodded. "Effectively chapter five applied to the sayings themselves."

"Exactly," said Wiseman. "Remember if the situation does turn into a conflict Sailor Moon will not be fighting alone. I should point that there will be times when Sun Tzu will give conflicting advice. Do _you_ see the conflict in this case?"

"The choice of ground against being where the enemy does not expect you to be."

Wiseman nodded. "I will go with Wicked Lady to enlist the Sailor Senshi of this time while the rest of the Black Moon Clan will prepare the Tendo dojo for a possible conflict."

Before Ranma could respond Wiseman and the Black Moon Clan were gone. "Kuso, even I had problems seeing that." Ranma sighed and turned to Ukyo. "I guess I need to give you some details about what has been going on the last few days."

~*~*RS*~*~

"With all due respect we need to get more details before we go charging in," said Pluto.

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed. "I know but the thought of my only child in any sort of danger is making me a little crazy."

Pluto again looked at the readout and frowned. "You said this martial artist was in Nerima?"

"Yes, does that mean something?"

"A great deal because that is one of the wards along the path Sailor Saturn is currently going."

"Pluto, you seem more concerned about this Sailor Saturn than anything else. Why?"

"Sailor Saturn's formal title was the Senshi of Death and Destruction. She was for all intense and purposes a living doomsday weapon with the power to destroy planets."

"Destroy planets?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity her eyes wide. "Why would the Silver Millennium want a Sailor Senshi able to do _that_?"

"That is the whole idea of a doomsday weapon," said Pluto wincing. "It is supposedly so powerful that if used it could destroy both sides. The only ones who weren't terrified out of their wits by Saturn was the Royal family and that was because Saturn was fanatically loyal to the Queen and her female line."

"But there is no guarantee this Sailor Saturn has the same trait," said Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Exactly the problem," said Pluto as she gestured to the Time Gates. When nothing happened Pluto frowned. "She has been shielded. I can see where she is going but cannot view her directly." Pluto narrowed her eyes. "The interfering energy matches the wave that knocked me out."

"Wiseman and the Black Moon Clan?" asked Venus. "But how did they know of a Sailor Scout we never even heard of?"

"Pluto said Sailor Nemesis was her mother reincarnated," said Neo-Queen Serenity grimly. "Perhaps she gave them the information."

"If my mother has access to her memories we are all in serious trouble," said Pluto. "It would give this Wiseman and the Black Moon Clan an edge no other enemy, not even Queen Beryl possessed."

Pluto looked at the Time Gates in thought. "I noticed that the second wave of energy is nearly identical to the Ginzuishou. The only really difference is it seems for lack of a better term to be reversed. What I don't understand is these two energies seem connected and strengthening each other. If this other energy was truly revered it shouldn't be doing that."

"Oh no," said Mars in a hushed voice. Turning the Sailor Senshi of the thirtieth century were treated to Mars with the eyes the size of dinner plates. "Taoism."

"I don't understand," said Pluto.

"One of the key concepts in Taoism is yin and yang," said Mars. "Very simply put there are two opposing forces that are rooted together, transform each other, and are balanced. Yin is dark, feminine, receptive, yielding, negative, and nurturing while yang is light, masculine, active, dominating, positive, and either initiating or creating."

Mercury activated her visor and started searching the database of the Mercury Computer. "The idea of something connected to the Ginzuishou in that manner brings up an old archive file. Seems this is the only way to find this file as it hasn't been accessed in over 61 thousand years."

"That would go back to the time of the first Queen of the Moon Kingdom," commented Pluto.

Mercury paled. "According to this, the first Queen of the Moon Kingdom created _two_ crystals of great power: Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou. Her intention was to make sure there was a balancing force in the case one of her decedents might misuse their power. Because of this she wanted to give the Jakokusuishou to a royal family that was not part of her kingdom but she also wanted there be enough time in case who ever she gave the power to misused it. To this end she finally settled on the royal family of Nemesis to be its trusties. They responded by deciding not to even try to use the Jakokusuishou and instead hid it in a cave." Mercury then frowned. "Unfortunately that is all the Mercury computer has."

"Are you telling me this Wiseman and Black Moon Clan could be in possession of a crystal that was originally designed to stop the Queen if she went out of control?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity aghast.

"That is what it is starting to look like," said Mercury. "Given the age of this file and how long it has sat unaccessed I would hazard a guess that the first Queen forgot to pass on the information and given the royal family of Nemesis hid their crystal rather than use it is likely forgot they even had theirs."

"But why would the first Queen created an evil crystal?" asked Jupiter.

Mars smiled slightly. "That is a common misconception about yin and yang. Since they are opposing forces some people get the idea that yang is good while yin is evil. Nothing could be further from the truth. Take Queen Beryl for example. Her goal was to dominate the Earth by the active use of youma whose actions initiated our reactions. Every one of those is a yang aspect but we can all agree that Queen Beryl was anything but good."

"That second energy was in close proximity of Sailor Moon, Mercury, and Jupiter," commented Pluto. "I thought that whoever it was was trying to sway them and so intervened. That is when I met Sailor Nemesis and Wicked Lady. Wicked Lady started verbally assaulting me with the foulest language I have ever heard in my life. She was under the impression that my influence and incompetence had turned her mother from a caring if misguided person into in her words an egotistical narcissistic bitch." Pluto shuttered. "I had never heard such pure hatred come out of anyone's mouth before."

"What was Sailor Nemesis doing during all this?" asked Mercury.

"She removed her tiara and then just stood there." Pluto then brought up her hand to her lower lip in thought. "Now that you mention it Sailor Nemesis just stood there scowling at both of us… until something similar to that second energy burst happened and she collapsed."

"Sailor Moon in her civilian guise ran over to her and… by the Moon I didn't realize until now. Nemesis said 'Don't, it wasn't her.'"

"Nemesis said the cause of her collapse wasn't you?" asked Venus.

Pluto nodded. "Not that it seemed to matter to Wicked Lady. She said 'Black Moon Prism Power, Make-up!' and the next thing I knew I was facing Sailor Black Moon. Nemesis struggled to stand and that is when I saw my symbol on her forehead. In shock I left."

"_Black_ Moon Prism Power, Make-up?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity narrowing her eyes. "This Wicked Lady. She didn't happen to have red eyes and pink hair, did she?"

Pluto blinked her eyes. "Matter of fact she did."

Neo Queen Serenity started rubbing her forehead. "The original phase I used to turn into Sailor Moon was 'Moon Prism Power, Make-up'. My daughter has red eyes and pink hair."

"But you said your daughter was stuck at the physical age of 10 years old. This Wicked Lady couldn't have been younger than 18," said Pluto.

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed. "Looks like my daughter found him and he was able to do what she hoped. That means I will have to talk to the younger version of the toughest foe we every faced."

The Sailor Senshi of the future all looked at their Queen and paled. "WHAT?" screeched Jupiter. "You mean your daughter wanted to learn from _him_? Excuse the pun but why on Earth would she want to do such a thing?"

"Because unlike all of our other foes his key goal was the same as ours: protect the innocent," said Neo-Queen Serenity sadly. "You forget how the war with him ended. He said that if it continued innocent people would be killed and that was why he surrendered. When I asked what he meant he only replied that perhaps I was not as well informed as I thought."

"I can't believe that you would actually equate us with that foul mouthed womanizing jerk!" fumed Mars.

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned. "That is because I met him in my civilian identity after Beryl but before Makaiju. He was sitting under a bridge and I asked him what was wrong and he gave me a thumbnail version of his life. I learned about a father who took stupidity and greed to a new level of idiocy. About how he wanted to be accepted by a mother who seemed to only care only about some agreement made when he was five and how many grandchildren he could give her though he didn't see it that way. Describing his life with the term colossal mess would be an understatement. Martial arts were his life and I think he saw my Cleansing as just another example of someone trying to take something he valued from him."

"Mind telling me just who this person you have such wildly different views regarding is?" asked Pluto.

"His name was or rather is Saotome Ranma," replied Neo-Queen Serenity. "And he should be living at the Tendo Dojo."

~*~*RS*~*~

Hotaru was startled about how well known this Tendo dojo was know but it was due to the Saotome Ranma and Tendo Ranko living there. In fact, most people's reaction to her question of where the place was that she knew martial arts and was she was going to challenge someone there. Strangely none had even heard of the name Wiseman or Black Moon Clan.

'Perhaps Wiseman just recently arrived,' thought Mistress 9.

Hotaru nodded at that. Even though Mistress 9 had tried to kill her it was nice to have someone to talk to. Besides, Mistress 9 had found this wonderful power; Hotaru was a real life magical girl right out of a Shoujo manga.

'From what I am seeing this power has been a part of your soul long before you began _thi_s life,' thought Mistress 9 as she continued to examine the tendrils of power flowing through the body of her host.

'That means that I was a magical girl in a previous life,' Hotaru mentally responded. 'It also means Wiseman didn't give us this power.'

'No, he may have not even known it existed but what Wiseman gave us did open up access to the power in your soul.' Mistress 9 paused. 'It seems the power has a failsafe that would have been triggered when I consumed the last bit of your soul. I would have been at the center of the power's most powerful attack: Death Born Revolution.'

Hotaru gave a grim smile. 'It would have served you right.'

'Perhaps, but it wouldn't have been just me that would have been consigned to oblivion. This power was designed to destroy _planets_.'

Hotaru stopped in her tracks and paled. "What?" she whispered aloud.

'Death Born Revolution is powerful enough to destroy a planet.'

Hotaru shivered wondering what was out there you needed an attack that could wipe out a planet.

'I can think of one right away: my former master Pharaoh 90,' responded Mistress 9.

'Who is going to kill 90 percent of the world's population when he gets here.'

'Likely starting off with me and given the way I am tied to your soul right now it's going to be say hello to Death Born Revolution and bye bye to planet Earth and Pharaoh 90 time. Assuming we don't preemptively shove it straight down his throat.'

Hotaru frowned. 'Still, that means we have to be on the watch out for any magical girls like the Sailor Senshi who might try to drive you from me.' Hotaru lifted the glaive that had appeared with her transformation. 'I can't really use this thing. Even in your form this thing is longer than I am tall though it is surprisingly light.'

'It is something called the Silent Glaive. Before you ask I know this because that information is in your soul just as your attacks are.' Mistress 9 then gave a mental sigh. 'There is something you must know. Another reason I was ready to accept Wiseman's offer was because his power is a similar to Pharaoh 90's. But unlike Pharaoh 90 he intends to use his power to better everyone. Protect those who cannot protect themselves and better them so they can protect themselves.'

'I hope we can get to the Tendo dojo soon,' thought Hotaru. 'I really want to learn about the inner power Wiseman said I needed to improve.''

~*~*RS*~*~

"Wiseman!" Usagi yelled surprising Ami and Makoto. The two girls watched as Usagi ran up to a tall man in a tattered purple robe Wicked Lady standing beside him.

"Hello, Usagi," replied Wiseman. Wiseman then leaned down and whispered something into Usagi's ear. The girl's eyes widened and she looked at Wiseman in shock.

"Usagi, what is it?" asked Makoto.

"I was right," Usagi whispered. "Wiseman _is_ from the future. Neo-Queen Serenity is my future self and she just arrived at our time period's version of Pluto's Time Gates."

"I granted Wicked Lady full membership in the Black Moon Clan," explained Wiseman gesturing to the black moon on her forehead. "That coupled with what I expect is going to be Neo-Queen Serenity's emotional state could turn what was originally intended to be a diplomatic mission into a magical battle."

"I don't understand," said Usagi.

"You heard the verbal venom Wicked Lady hit Sailor Pluto with?"

Usagi nodded. "I never heard such pure hated toward anyone in my life."

"I had good reasons for it," said Wicked Lady. "When I first came here I was under the assumption that my parents didn't love me."

"What? Why would anyone believe their parents didn't love them?" asked Makoto horrified.

"I firmly believe it is the result of Ginzuishou she stole from her mother to go back in time," said Wiseman.

"How could the Ginzuishou cause that?" asked Makoto as Ami frowned.

"Your friend Ami looks like she might have figured it out."

"Sailor Nemesis demonstrated emotional ki showing that certain feelings in of themselves formed energy," said Ami aloud in thought. "But one of the Laws of Thermodynamics says energy can never be created or destroyed; it can only be changes from one form to another. That means that the emotions that make up evil couldn't be eliminated; they had to go somewhere."

"Right into the Ginzuishou." Wiseman looked down. "I think I am part of the reason why."

"What? Why?" asked Wicked Lady.

"When I first found Jakokusuishou I thought it only helped me channel my ki better. Then I noticed that while everyone grew old and died around me I didn't age. Depressed as I realized what the Jakokusuishou had done to me I wanted to know why…so it showed me. It turned out that the Jakokusuishou and Ginzuishou are linked like yin and yang; once Neo-Queen Serenity came to be there _had_ to be a Wiseman. It then showed why I was best person to be Wiseman."

Wiseman looked up. "None of the other possible candidates had my unique combination of characteristics that allowed the Jakokusuishou to keep me among the living. Because of that the best the Jakokusuishou would be able to do would be to keep them going rather than keep them from aging. These other Wisemen would become literal walking dead men and go insane. Most of them would become revenge crazed homicidal madmen with only one goal—kill Neo-Queen Serenity no matter _what_ the cost. Even the more rational ones would believe if they could not defeat Neo-Queen Serenity killing everyone on Earth would be better than let her continue to rule. This insanity would affect the ruling class of Nemesis as well to various levels."

Wiseman reached into his robe and pulled out the Jakokusuishou. "Because of that I accepted my role as Wiseman but unlike all the others I had seen I tried to keep yin and yang in balance. I can't help wondering if keeping my crystal in balance has lead to the imbalance in the Ginzuishou of my timeline."

"Wiseman," said Usagi put her hand on the arm of the robed man, "I figured out that you were from the future the day you ran into me. From the way you acted then and the way you are acting right now I don't believe you would knowingly do anything to hurt anyone."

Wiseman chuckled, "You always believed in Love and Justice even if your speeches did remind me of Kuno's ramblings. But unlike like Kuno you weren't some delusional nutjob who might as well stopped buying calendars sometime in the 1600s but were doing what you believed was right even though like myself back in those days it was at times down right naive."

"Naïve?" asked Usagi tears starting to form in her eyes.

"That is how I know Pluto's threat to kill my mother and the sisters of my wife if I didn't surrender was her idea not yours."

The color quickly drained from Usagi's face. "She did what?" she asked in a low voice.

"Usagi, please. I am having enough problems with my own and Wicked Lady's feelings regarding Pluto without _you_ putting her in your personal 'who I want to put in a full body cast and then dump itching powder on' list as well."

"Sounds fun," grinned Wicked Lady.

"What kind of defender of Love and Justice would do such a thing?" asked Usagi appalled.

"Sailor Pluto," spat Wicked Lady. "I now know she had been lying to us for 850 years; she _can_ leave the Time Gates. She allowed my mother to do her Cleansing even though with the Time Gates she had to known what it would do her." Wicked Lady pulled out a white crystal. "This is the Ginzuishou. Sailor Mercury likely could tell you about all the yin energy that is in it."

"Also you get the opportunity to greet a new Sailor Senshi; one that even I haven't met before," said Wiseman. "For whatever reason she is heading toward Nerima and should arrive at the Tendo Dojo in less than an half an hour."

Wicked Lady looked at Wiseman puzzled. "A Sailor Senshi you haven't met before?"

"Each Sailor Senshi has her own type of power and this one doesn't match Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Pluto or even Nemesis. I think it must be a Senshi from the planets between Pluto and Jupiter but what a Senshi I have never met before would be making a slow beeline for the Tendo dojo I have no idea."

"We will be more than happy to help, Wiseman," said Usagi.

"Good, see you later today then."

~*~*RS*~*~

Quantize had been surprised that the Ganso Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu was common knowledge even if the name Wiseman wasn't though two names did keep coming up connected with it: Saotome Ranma and Tendo Akane. However looking for those two humans had taken the youma some two districts away to the Nerima ward.

The youma blinked as a young man leapt from the third floor of the building she was near and landed safely. Quantize again blinked as she examined the life energy of the young man. Sailor Nemesis hadn't been bragging; there _were_ humans worthy of youma to bread with. Two girls then joined the young man; while not as impressive as the boy their life energies were also far beyond normal.

"Ranchan," said the girl with the strange flat pike on her back. "Is it true by choosing to become Wiseman you will outlive us."

'Choosing to become Wiseman? What the blazes?' thought Quantize.

"That is what my futureself said, Ukyo," said Ranma as he hopped up on the fence the two girls walked beside. "With the exception of Sa Fulang I will outlive everyone I know. But it is better than some total maniac getting a hold of the Jakokusuishou and some thousand years later deciding the best way to save the world is to kill everyone on it."

'What was that about a futureself?' thought Quantize now following the threesome.

Ranma suddenly leaped over a bicycle rode by a girl with long purple hair letting both pass underneath him.

"What is this I hear from mercenary girl about Airen becoming spooky robed man?" she asked as stopped the bicycle and looked back.

"Honor demanded it, Shampoo," said Ranma scowling as his blue aura formed around him. "I am really going to have to do something about Nabiki," muttered Ranma. Below him the two females started glowing a red color.

'These humans can glow?' thought the youma.

"Honor demand Airen marry Shampoo not kitchen destroyer!"

"As I remember the conversation it wasn't just that Akane I married. I distinctly remember Wiseman continuously calling Cologne co-wife." Ranma smirked. "Does your honor including fighting your own great grandmother?"

"ARRRGGGGHH," screamed a frustrated Shampoo. "Shampoo not let Airen become Wiseman and marry kitchen destroyer."

Ranma scowled his blue aura taking on a red hue. "Let? LET? Becoming Wiseman is _my_ choice. Not yours, not Neo-Queen Serenity's, not even Akane's. Becoming Wiseman is _my_ choice!" yelled Ranma not realizing his aura was now purple.

"Airen belong to Shampoo, no one else!" yelled Shampoo as she leapt at Ranma. After jumping all over the fence like crazy Shampoo finally was able to hit Ranma knocking him into a nearby costume shop.

"If Shampoo take out kitchen destroyer then Airen marry Shampoo," growled the girl pulling out two strangely shaped clubs. But before the purple haired girl could do anything a ball of purple energy hit her and knocked her into the nearby canal. Quantize blinked as a sputtering purple cat emerged from the canal.

"I think that is more than enough, Shampoo," said Ranma's voice as he emerged from the costume shop. Instead of the red shirt and black pants he was now dressed in a full-length black robe.

"Wiseman," whispered Akane as she fainted.

Quantize again blinked as suddenly Ranma was holding Akane keeping her from hitting the ground. She didn't know humans could move that fast without magic.

"Sorry about the shop. How much?" asked Ranma as the purple cat simply stared in shock.

A little man emerged from the shop. "Free of charge. I have trying to get rid of that costume ever since the high school sold it to me after doing _Christmas Carol_ some five years ago." The little man put a finger to his cheek. "Besides for some reason it seems to suit you."

"Thanks," said Ranma as he pulled Akane into his arms. "I'll get her home and we can discuss this there." Quantize then watched as Ranma moved at incredible speed down the sidewalk the weight of Akane not seeming to impede him one bit.

As Quantize followed Ranma she kept going over the conversation in her head but couldn't come up with something that made all the pieces fit. Perhaps once she got to where ever Ranma was going it would all make sense.

~*~*RS*~*~

Usagi and the Sailor Senshi all arrived at the Tendo Dojo as a man in a black robe caring a girl came to the front door and sat the girl down. "Come on, Tomboy, I have enough problems without you going and fainting on me."

"Excuse me, I am looking for the Tendo Dojo," said a soft voice.

Everyone turned to face a woman with long black hair carrying an insanely long glaive as the front door of the house opened.

"I know you," whispered a voice.

The robed man turned back. "Kasumi, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Know me?" replied the woman. "I don't understand."

"I saw you the day mother died. A shadowy form with that same ki left her room. When I went in she was dead." Kasumi grabbed the robe man's sleeve. "Please Wiseman, don't let her take anyone else."

"Wiseman?" asked the woman who then narrowed her eyes. "Different robe and not as strong energy but yet you _are_ Wiseman."

The woman then looked at Kasumi. "I think you have us confused with someone else. We are Mistress 9 and Tomoe Hotaru but you can refer to us as Mistress 9." Mistress 9 seemed to consider something. "Wiseman did say I was generating the ki that he normally saw in people about to die. Perhaps that is what you are seeing."

"Then you are not here to take anyone away?" asked Kasumi.

"No, I am here to look up some friends that could let me contact Wiseman. I didn't expect to meet him directly."

"You haven't," said the robed man removing his hood. "I'm not Wiseman. Not yet. I have a long way to go before I become him."

"You can start by explaining why Mercury's computer says you have the Jakokusuishou and what you have done with my daughter, Saotome Ranma," growled a female voice.

Ranma narrowed his eyes as he stood a purple aura forming around him. "Let me guess you're Neo-Queen Serenity, future ruler of earth and all around airhead. Don't you dare get all high and mighty with me. You need to tell just what kind of living hell you have been putting your daughter through that she thought you and your husband didn't love her. Even with Pops' stupid training and that damn contract mom had I never felt like that about them."

"While you're at it," said Sailor Moon narrowing her eyes. "Would you mind explaining to me, your younger self, how letting one of your Senshi go around threatening to kill people's families is an example of Love of Justice?"

Neo-Queen Serenity promptly paled as she looked between Ranma and her past self slowly stepping backwards as she did so.

"What?" growled Ranma as a middle aged woman walked up to the now empty doorway.

"You're Neo-Queen Serenity," said the woman narrowing her eyes a red aura forming around her. "How dare you use my son's honor against him by threatening my life and his wife's sisters. Mōko Takabisha!"

The next thing Neo-Queen Serenity knew she was flying back first into a wall. As she fell to the ground on all fours she heard the voice of her younger self. "Families are for love and caring. Allying yourself with people who threaten families for your own selfish gain is unforgivable. In the name of the Moon I am going to punish you."

"Would somebody mind telling just what the hell is going on here?" roared a voice that sounded like Ranma's but also sounded more mature.

"Just your average day in Nerima," quipped Ranma. "Complete with Kuno like speeches."

Neo-Queen Serenity looked up and widened her eyes. In addition to Ranma and the younger versions of the Sailor Senshi there were now nine more people in the mix. One of them was dressed in a purple version of the robe Ranma was wearing while another had pink hair and red eyes.

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned as she slowly stood.

"I'm not going to let her use your honor against you, son," said the middle aged woman a ball of red ki in her hand.

"Wiseman…Ranma, what's wrong with your mother?" asked the pink haired woman.

"Nothing, Wicked Lady," said Wiseman as he took a step foreword. "She just holds honor in as high a regard as I do. Been a long time, Nitwit-Queen Simpleton."

Neo-Queen Serenity narrowed her eyes. "Saotome Ranma? You're Wiseman?"

"Better me than anyone else," said the purple robed man folding his arms. "Otherwise you would be dealing with a Wiseman who at best wanted your empty head on a pike and was willing to do anything even kill everybody on both Earth and Nemesis to do it."

"You don't want me dead?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Even 1,000 years ago that was never my intention. I only wanted you to realize your Cleansing was wrong and by doing it you were being no better than my father."

Neo-Queen Serenity scowled. "Don't you dare compare me to that greedy overweight excuse of humanity you call a father."

"Why not, mother?" fumed Wicked Lady. "You turned the world into your idea of a Utopia not caring if it was everybody else's. He was able to do what you have failed for the last 850 years to do."

"Neo-Queen Serenity… Usagi, Listen to me," said Wiseman removing his hood revealing Ranma's features and very sad eyes. "You wanted to make the world perfect, right? How did you eliminate sorrow like when a beloved mate or child grows old and dies?"

"Not one grows old in Crystal Tokyo therefore no one dies," responded Serenity.

"I see. I thought you might have done something like that. Trapped in a 10-year-old body didn't your daughter at least try to find friends her apparent physical age so she wasn't so lonely?"

"She tried but there didn't seem to be any," scowled Neo-Queen Serenity. "What is your point, Ranma, Wiseman, or whatever name you are using?"

"By making everyone immortal you eliminated the _need_ for children," said Wiseman sadly. "As I said 1,000 years ago, you need darkness to appreciate the light. Tell me, when is the last time anything truly changed in Crystal Tokyo?

"Nothing changes because it is perfect."

Wiseman Ranma shook his head. "Poor, poor Usagi, that is _not_ why nothing changes. You need death for change to happen." Wiseman Ranma narrowed his eyes. "We came to Earth with the intention of trying to reason with you so the people of Nemesis could finally see the world their human ancestors came from but it has become more than that. You have to let your idea of Utopia go or you will wind up destroying what you intended to save."

"I won't let you destroy Crystal Tokyo," fumed Neo-Queen Serenity.

"From what I am hearing there isn't anything to destroy," said Sailor Moon angrily. "Where is she?"

Neo-Queen Serenity blinked. "Where is who?"

"Where is Sailor Pluto? Where is the Sailor Senshi that twisted me into you, a mockery of what Love and Justice are?" said Sailor Moon taking a step forward.

Neo-Queen Serenity took a step back as if slapped. She then narrowed her eyes. "The only mockery here is you, Sailor Moon. I can't believe that I was once this naive. Wait until Queen Beryl's last batch of youma kill all your Senshi friends before your eyes; then you finally realize just what the stakes are."

Sailor Moon paled while Wiseman widened his eyes. "Dear Kami-sama in heaven," he whispered.

"Wiseman, what is it?" asked Ranma.

"That is what I felt when I was fighting Sa Fulang," said Wiseman. "I always thought it was your coming into your power transforming from Sailor Moon to Neo-Queen Serenity but in reality it was you bringing your friends back to life just like I did with Akane."

"What do you mean brought me back to life?" asked Akane looking fearfully at Wiseman.

"He means that in our first battle you died," said Sa Fulang looking down at the ground.

"It gets worse," said Wiseman looking down at his feet. "Akane really hated me for the first months afterward."

"I hated you for saving my life?" yelled Akane. "Why would I do something like that, Baka?"

Wiseman looked up tears in his eyes. "Because I took you away from your mother. You were with your mother in whatever afterlife there was and I took you away, because the great wondrous and egotistical Saotome Ranma never loses."

Akane paled as Sa Fulang again morphed into a female form and comforted Wiseman.

"Wiseman…Ranma, all this time and you never told me," said Sa Fulang.

"I couldn't because I knew you would tear yourself up inside," said Wiseman tears now running down his cheeks. "You would blame yourself when in the end it was my fault."

"No," said Sa Fulang his female voice like a whip as he grabbed Wiseman and turned him so they were facing each other. "Listen to me Saotome Ranma, it wasn't just your fault," growled Sa Fulang as he held Wiseman's shoulders. "I had plenty of blame in that whole mess. We were _both_ to blame. You hear me, we were _both_ at fault!" finished Sa Fulang shaking Wiseman.

Wiseman looked at Sa Fulang total astonishment on his face. "Like I said earlier who says the Sensei can't learn from the student?" he said chuckling.

Sa Fulang smiled. "Now that is the Wiseman I know."

"Wiseman," said Mistress 9 a tone of urgency in her voice. "We have problem."

Wiseman turned and arched an eyebrow. "You were the Sailor Senshi I sensed before."

"Sailor Senshi? Well at least we have a name to the power in my soul. We need to learn the technique you talked about."

"You dare to berate me all the while allying with this _thing_?" scowled Neo Queen Serenity. "Let me give you a nice thumbnail sketch of your ally. Mistress 9 is an energy being servant of Pharaoh 90 who when he arrives here will kill 90 percent of the world's population."

"This is old news, mother," grumbled Wicked Lady. "I told Wiseman about Mistress 9 and how you always got choked up about it. I thought you would be happy that we saved her."

"Happy? HAPPY?" screeched Neo Queen Serenity. "Happy that I get to see this parasite consume a little girl's soul again and torment her father with that fact as I did 1,000 years ago?"

Mistress 9 shivered holding her glaive as if it was going to be torn from her hands. "But if my soul was consumed that would trigger off a Death Born Revolution. Mistress 9 and I must have been still fighting and I was able to keep it from destroying the planet and instead directed its force into Pharaoh 90."

"Kami-sama," whispered Ami her eyes the size of dinner plates. "According to the Mercury computer Death Born Revolution is Sailor Saturn's most powerful attack." Ami paused as she paled. "It is strong enough to destroy planets."

"WHAT?" yelled nearly everyone.

"A living doomsday weapon," growled Wiseman his eyes flashing with red ki. "You always claimed you were bringing back the perfect Moon Kingdom. If it was so perfect why did it need to create something like _that_?"

"Wiseman, we're afraid. Mistress 9 and I are so tightly connected that we are afraid that if someone tries to exorcize her that it will trigger off the failsafe." Mistress 9 looked down seemingly embarrassed "I not sure even if it was possible that I would want Mistress 9 to leave."

"Why are you talking about yourself in the third person… by the Moon you're the host!" said Neo-Queen Serenity staring at Mistress 9 in shock.

"My name is Tomoe Hotaru. My mother was killed along with me in the experiment that attracted Pharaoh 90 and Mistress 9 to Earth in the first place. My father begged Mistress 9 to bring me back to life which she promised to do if he helped bring Pharaoh 90 to this world. She expected to animate a soulless corpse but instead found my soul still there. Her feeding on my soul awakened one of my Sailor Saturn powers—healing. That and my constant weakness made me considered a freak and older kids started to bully me. Then a small group decided to have 'fun' with the freak."

Hotaru trembled tears starting to form. "If Wiseman hadn't been in the area… they would have had their way with me enough though Mistress 9 tried to stop them."

Nodoka put her arm around the now crying woman. "But they didn't because my son was there."

"Saotome Nodoka, your son so wanted you to accept him but from what he said you seemed more interesting in him behaving like some Casanova or sowing wild oats like a demented farmer," scowled Neo-Queen Serenity.

Nodoka winced but looked at Neo-Queen Serenity a frown on her face. "I know my faults because your daughter had me live my son's life up to this point. If I am a monster than what are you, Neo-Queen Serenity? You know what your daughter's exact words to my son Wiseman were? I'll tell you: 'You are _still_ looking for unconditional acceptance from someone simply because they happened to birth you? A mother is supposed to care for and love you, not threaten your life over some undefined vague term or think your depression is evil so she can Cleanse it with all the concern of turning off a light. At least I have accepted the fact my mother is egotistical narcissistic bitch; when are you going to wake up to the fact yours is as well, Wiseman? Saotome Ranma, you of all people should know what it is to have parents who DON'T LOVE YOU!'"

Nodoka then started sobbing as the younger Ranma stepped up beside her. "Ranma, I am so sorry," cried Nodoka, "After all the horrible things I let your father do to you and the way I acted with that contract it is a wonder you don't hate me."

"Mom, I don't hate you."

"Thanks to living your life through the Jakokusuishou, I know that," said Nodoka. "But what about Wicked Lady?"

"This is exactly why I took you away, boy," said Genma. "Staying with her would have made you weak."

"Pops," said Wiseman scowling. "If you have anything resembling a brain in that head of yours you will stop right now. You are in the midst of a bunch of females who could put nearly every martial artist of the present to shame."

Genma snorted "This is coming from a future version of my son who gets all weepy over some triviality. Real men don't cry."

Genma suddenly found himself being lifted by the collar of his gi and staring into the eyes of a totally enraged Wiseman. "Don't you ever say that Akane's death was a triviality again or I will show you something that will make whatever I did to you under the influence of the Neko-ken look like a pleasant dream!" Wiseman then smiled sinisterly. "You want to know what happened to you in my history, Pops? Her royal high-mess Cleansed you and turned you into a happy little salary man drone. And since according to her no one ages or dies in Crystal Tokyo I have to assume you're still doing that 1,000 years later."

Genma paled and then fainted. Wiseman gently sat Genma down. "Pops, despite all you did to me you didn't deserve what she did to you." Wiseman turned to face Neo-Queen Serenity and she realized why his father had fainted: Wiseman's eyes were blazing with anger ki. "As messed up as Pops was I would have never taken away his art or his love of it. You did both, Neo-Queen Serenity. It's only my martial arts code, my knowledge that you meant no ill will in it, and my dedication to the people of Nemesis that is keeping me from trying to tear your heart out of your chest."

"Your bluffing, Ranma," Neo-Queen Serenity said to Wiseman.

"Really?" said Sa Fulang folding his female arms. "He killed me when I threatened just the woman he loved. Your idealistic idiocy threatens the entire world."

"Ah guys, I seem remember that your whole reason in coming to Earth was supposed to establish a diplomatic mission," said Ranma nervously. "This is all looking about as diplomatic as P-chan screaming 'Ranma, prepare to die' with him waving that umbrella of his.''

Perz chuckled. "My dear ancestor who couldn't find his way out of a room with one door." She then frowned. "He does have a point. This is already well on the way to let's just pick up where we left off 1,000 years and see how fast we can beat each other's heads in."

"If this is what I turned into thanks to Pluto I'm surprised Wiseman has show as much patience as he has," fumed Sailor Moon. "To take away something someone loves is neither loving nor just, and if you can't see that you are even more of a monster than Queen Beryl is."

"Queen Beryl? HOW DARE YOU COMPARE ME TO QUEEN BERYL!" screeched Neo Queen Serenity as she lunged toward Sailor Moon and tried to strangle some sense into her. The next thing Neo Queen Serenity was doing was gasping from the fist that had been slammed into her gut.

"I don't know who this Queen Beryl is but I am not going to let you lash out at people who don't have the strength to defend themselves," said Ranma as he pulled his fist out of Neo Queen Serenity's stomach. "Don't force me to break something."

Neo Queen Serenity stared at Ranma in shock and took a step back.

"It's over," said Sailor Moon. "I am going to do everything to make sure I don't become you and I am sure as hell not going to let you turn my Earth into a copy of yours. Moon Healing Escalation!"

Neo Queen Serenity again flew backwards into a wall only to be caught by Sailor Pluto.

"I think we have seen enough of you using Neo Queen Serenity as a punching bag."

"Hello, Pu," said Wicked Lady in a tone that would make deep space warm. "Nice that you proved that my choice to believe Wiseman was the correct one. You said you had been guarding the Time Gates since the fall of the Moon Kingdom some 13,000 years ago. HOW THE HELL CAN YOU BE GUARDING THEM WHEN YOU ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, BITCH?" screamed Wicked Lady shattering every window in the block.

"You threatened to kill Ranma's mother and his wife's sisters to get him surrender. You didn't warn my mom about doing the Cleansing would do to her. You met Ranma and you could have given mom hints on how to fix my problem but thought it was more fun to let me stay in a 10-year old body for 850 years! In the name of the Moon I am going to kick your sorry lying scheming ass all over this fucking district," roared Wicked Lady.

Ranma scowled as a dark cloud emptied its contents on him changing his form. "You threatened to kill mom?" he asked angrily in his now soprano voice. "You threatened to kill Kasumi as well? Just to get me to surrender? What kind of dishonorable monster are you?" he yelled a ball of red ki in his right hand the symbol of Pluto glowing on his forehead.

Pluto stared at Ranma shaking her head clutching Neo-Queen Serenity like she was a life preserver. "No, it can't be."

Shampoo still in her cat form ran in front of Ranma hissing at the two people he was fighting. Ranma and Wiseman both looked at the little purple cat with abject terror.

"Sham Pu, you idiot," yelled Sa Fulang. "The last thing we need is Ranma to go into the neko-ken."

"Mrrow," said a female voice but it wasn't Ranma but rather that of Nodoka. Ranma looked at his mother now hissing at Neo-Queen Serenity and Sailor Pluto and his face went blank. Ranma then blinked as his hand closed into a fist and the red ki ball turned into a staff. "Threatening innocent lives rather than preserving them, all for the wishes of your Queen?" asked Ranma in a calm but angry voice. "I thought I taught you better than that, _daughter_."

"Wiseman, what is going on?" asked Sailor Moon.

"The only thing I can think of is the fear of the Neko-ken was overwhelmed by the fear of loosing mom if he went into the Neko-ken and instead he tapped into the previous life I showed him."

"Oh wonderful, we have got the two for one special on Sailor Pluto," said Prince Demondo sarcastically.

"I don't believe it!" screamed Pluto. "There is no way you and therefore Wiseman are my mother!"

"You doubt the evidence of your eyes?" asked Ranma. "Perhaps this will show you otherwise. Death Scream."

Pluto blinked as her own attack hit her slamming her and Neo Queen Serenity against the wall. This time Pluto and Neo Queen Serenity simply disappeared.

"She used her teleport power," scowled Ranma.

"That wasn't a real Death Scream," said Wiseman. "And despite Prince Demando's conclusion you didn't become Sailor Pluto; you only tapped into the original Pluto's memories like I did."

"I had to. With mom already neko I couldn't lose it in the case she might attack Neo-Queen Serenity." Ranma looked down at Shampoo and picked her up. "I'm not frightened of cats anymore."

"But you are frightened of something," said Sa Fulang. "The yellow ki in your latent aura is worse than Wiseman's."

Ranma frowned in thought looking down at the staff made of energy in his right hand. "Strange while I am worried about mom waking up out of the neko-ken I'm not terrified of anything."

"Since she has no curse form she will have to curl up in the lap of someone she trusts and snap out of it."

"No problem," said Genma having found some hot water. "Nodoka, it's Genma, your loving husband."

"RRRWOW!" said Nodoka as she leapt at her husband who promptly started screaming.

"Pops, she has my memories along with hers," said Ranma as his father slammed into a nearby tree.

Ranma sat down and watched as his mother wearily crawled into his lap and went to sleep. "Ok she wakes and goes back to normal but how do we fix this?"

"You and Akane will have to use your ki abilities through your Jakokusuishou to reach the core of her fear," said Wiseman.

Ranma looked up and held out his hand. Akane nervously took it as she sat across from Ranma. A purple aura then enveloped all three.

"Wiseman, I can heal people if they want me to," said Sailor Moon nervously.

Wiseman smiled. "This is more than just healing, Sailor Moon." Wiseman pulled out his Jakokusuishou. "The Jakokusuishou let me see a myriad of possible worlds where other people became Wiseman. It allowed my mother to relive part of my life. I have used it as a training aid for nearly 1,000 years. My younger self has to become as comfortable in using his Jakokusuishou as he is in using martial arts."

The purple aura faded as Nodoka blinked her eyes. Ranma and Akane both looked at each other stunned. Akane then hugged Ranma sobbing. "Ranma, I'm so sorry."

Ranma frowned. "I thought that insulting people was how you showed how much you cared."

"Interesting technique," said a small man smoking a pipe. "I would like to learn it."

"Sorry, Happosai, but you are the last person in the entire solar system I would teach anything like that to," said Ranma. "It allows you to share someone else's life at a level that is beyond anything you could possibly imagine." Ranma then smirked. "I have to admit that I am surprised to see you simply sitting there in the presence of so many females."

Happosai blew a smoke ring. "I am a simple man at heart, Ranma. I like to indulge in what few pleasures I can, but to enjoy them I need to stay among the living. Trying to grope any of the women present would be effective suicide and I admit to being many things but suicidal is not one of them."

Ranma continued to smirk. "Let me guess, it has to do with their ki."

Happosai nodded grimly. "I don't know how but all your ki has been infused with energies that tapping into would be very detrimental to my health."

Ranma chuckled opening his left hand showing a black crystal. "You mean this energy?"

Happosai scowled. "That is one of the energies. Another is heightened yang energy so strong I would need to put a woman to a murderous large to be able to tap into it. A third is what that girl that followed you from school has. All the members of the Black Moon Clan have the same energy to different degrees."

Quantize cautiously walked up to Ranma and looked between him and Wiseman. "I overheard but I don't understand. He talked about become Wiseman and about Wiseman being his future self."

"He is me as I was 1,000 years ago," said Wiseman smiling as a parent would to a child. "I mean that literally since I am from 1,000 years from now."

"I also don't understand him," said Quantize pointing to Happosai. "He is human but I feel the same need we have in him."

"Same need?" asked Usagi.

"She is likely talking about the old pervert needing to live off the ki of the women he gropes and steals underwear from," said Ranma calmly. He then looked at Wiseman. "She is of the people that your Black Moon Clan called youma."

As Wiseman nodded Usagi caught something out of the corner of her eye and turned. "Rei, what are you doing?" she asked grabbing her friend's wrist interrupting whatever attack Mars had been powering up. She then noticed that was another hand grabbing the same wrist.

"Sorry Mom, I didn't know if you had seen that," said Wicked Lady.

Usagi nodded and turned her attention to her friend scowling. "Well?"

"Ranma just said she is a youma," replied Rei.

"So you think _that_ is good enough reason to just blast her?" fumed Usagi. "She is not threatening anyone or she is not collecting energy for the Dark Kingdom. She just asked a question and you want to blast her just because of what she is? Rei, what is wrong with you?"

Rei just stood there blinking as Wiseman took a step forward. "Sailor Mars or should I say Hino Rei, I know your raising as a miko and fights with Queen Beryl has conditioned you to think of all youma as the enemy but you cannot hold to such views." Wiseman gestured. "Usagi's daughter and I are the only totally human members of the Black Moon Clan. With the exception of Lord Sa Fulang, Venetici, and Aquatici they have some mixture of youma in their family trees."

"Wiseman," said Venetici, "I don't understand. Humans and youma have coexisted on Nemesis for centuries. Also what is this Dark Kingdom?"

"Remember that we are 1,000 years in the past, Venetici," said Sa Fulang. "Youma have not learned how to generate their own ki. They have to drain ki from their surroundings or other living things just to survive. Also not all humans were like Wiseman. Most of the humans of this time were weak fragile little things pampered by the wonders their technology could provide them. Something as simple as a ki exchange could injure if not kill many of them."

"But a ki exchange is the most treasured ceremony on Nemesis," said Venetici appalled. "Not to be able to engage in one would be considered cruelty beyond measure," said Venetici shivering as she hugged herself. She then composed herself. "But what is the Dark Kingdom?"

"You know it as Avalon," said Blue Saphir. "It hasn't been called the Dark Kingdom in over half a millennium."

Wiseman gestured and black crystal formed from the ground. In it there could be seen the image of an aged bearded man sitting on a throne. His eyes had sadness in them but also a spark of pride. "The last King of the Dark Kingdom," said Wiseman.

"I'm not sad, Wiseman," said the king. "I'm not even bitter. I went looking for something better for the youma then that sterile nightmare Neo-Queen Serenity calls a utopia and I found it on Nemesis. You showed the youma that they and humans didn't have to be enemies. You taught the youma how to generate their own life energy so they didn't need to feed on humans. You created an environment that could accept youma for what they were. Most people on Nemesis can proudly say they have a youma in their family tree. There are people with my blood in the Royal family of Nemesis."

"Your majesty," began the voice of Wiseman.

"Please, my old friend, let me do this," said the king. "It is the least I can do for all you have done. You felt my rule over the Dark Kingdom was so good that you renamed me in honor of the greatest King Earth ever knew and recreated his famous sword for me. But the reality is my kingdom now only exists in name only as I haven't really ruled over anyone in over a century. Besides it is all of value I have."

"You must have something else of value other than your kingdom to give me," said the voice of Wiseman in a pleading tone. "Knowledge, wisdom, something."

The king laughed. "Your wisdom is built on the greatest military commander Earth ever knew. As for knowledge the only piece I have you don't is that the real names of Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars were Tsukino Usagi, Mizuno Ami, and Hino Rei respectively. Hardly fair compensation for your work I think you would agree."

"When I said you were dying I didn't mean you were going to die tomorrow," said the voice of Wiseman. "Compared to the long life you had through it will be in a relatively short time—about a century. That is more than enough time to come up with something less extreme."

The king again laughed. "That is what has always endeared the youma and me to you, Wiseman. In the field of martial arts you pride yourself in the accumulation of power as it gives you more to teach but when it comes to political power you are strictly cannot be bothered nearly to the point of being a milk sop."

"That is because I have seen what comes with that kind of power through Herb and Sa Fulang. I would be so tied up in running a kingdom that I wouldn't be able to do what I do best."

"Who says you have to run this as a kingdom? Run it the way it has been used for the last century—as a training ground. If the old term Dark Kingdom bothers you just use the name Avalon like everyone else does."

"Hmmm. You know that might work," said Wiseman. "I haven't told anyone else and considering the current state of things I think it is best I don't. You see, Queen Silva has the hots for you despite you being close relations."

The king sighed. "I know. She is so striking, so witty, so intelligent; everything a man could ask for in a possible mate but blast it, Wiseman, she is my own great grand daughter."

"I know what you are going through. Right now all of the four women desiring my affection are direct descendants going back at best three generations and being informed of this fact doesn't slow them down one bit. Due to their youma heritage there isn't the danger of inbreeding problems such as what happened to the European Royal Families. You have been alone since your first wife died so why not live what time you have left with someone who loves you and as you stated is everything a man could ask for in a mate."

The king again sighed. "Alright Wiseman, I'll do it." The image faded.

"I had been calling him Pendragon in honor of the greatest king of Western legend because his rule over the Dark Kingdom had been an example of all that good and just in the world for decades but it was during his reign with Queen Silva that he became the standard to which all other Nemesis rulers were held to. For all intents and purposes he might as well have been the original King Pendragon."

Sailor Moon looked at Wiseman frowning. "I never heard of any king named Pendragon."

Wiseman chuckled. "Sure you have: King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot."

~*~*RS*~*~

Note: I know I am moving things at a breakneck pace here but I figured it flowed naturally from the way the characters would likely act.


	7. Chap 07 Yesterday’s dreams

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 7 – Yesterday's Dreams are Tomorrow's Nightmare

The Sailor Senshi of the thirtieth century had misgivings about letting Neo-Queen Serenity talk to Ranma though they had agreed to let Pluto to go and deal with anything that might go wrong. They blinked at Neo-Queen Serenity and Pluto appeared both looking like they been through a nightmare.

Neo-Queen Serenity slowly sat down sobbing while Pluto stumbled to the Time Gates clearly in emotional shock.

"What happened?" asked Venus clearly worried.

"They all think I am some kind of monster," said Neo-Queen Serenity as she sobbed. "Sailor Moon said I was even worse than _Queen Beryl_ even after I told her Beryl's last batch of youma would kill you."

"Saotome Ranma is the reincarnation of my mother and his futuresself is Wiseman," said Pluto as she simply stared at the blank doors of the Time Gates. "They both have the Jakokusuishou of their own time periods. Clearly Ranma _will_ become Wiseman and much earlier than he did in the future you came from. Wonder which one of them is Sailor Nemesis."

"What? Ranma is both this Wiseman _and_ Sailor Nemesis?" asked Venus. "Pluto, you are not making much sense."

"I wanted to believe in you and in so doing I may have alienated my mother's reincarnation," Pluto turned scowling. "I don't want to deal with any of you for a week and you will leave, NOW."

The next thing the Sailor Senshi knew they were on top of Mt. Fuji. "Pluto is pissed at us," said Mercury.

"You think?" asked Mars.

Back at the Time Gates Pluto was scanning the past of Saotome Ranma. After about five minutes her right eye was twitching and when she was done with the Time Gates many hours later she was about ready to go find Genma and Death Scream him into little panda burgers. It wasn't her will power that kept her at the Time Gates but rather Wicked Lady's words: "_You threatened to kill Ranma's mother and his wife's sisters to get him surrender_." Pluto knew that if she had not seen the mark of Pluto on his forehead she would not have gone over Ranma's life with the detail she just had. She had to admit to herself that with the supposed rebirth of the Moon Kingdom hanging in the balance she could have used such dishonorable tactics as Wicked Lady had described. What hurt worse than all that were the words Ranma had spoken while deep in the Neko-ken: "_Threatening innocent lives rather than preserving them, all for the wishes of your Queen? I thought I taught you better than that, daughter._" Her mother _had_ taught her better; the Sailor Senshi were supposed to serve the people first. Pluto fell to her knees tears in her eyes. "Please, mama. I'll be good. Don't hate me. Please mama, don't hate me," she sobbed with only the vast emptiness around the Time Gates to hear her.

~*~*Nerima ward*~*~

Usagi was crying but not the usual wail she did but more heartfelt sobs. She looked at Wiseman tears in her eyes. "How can you stand to be near me?"

Wiseman smiled in a way that reminded Usagi of a father about to comfort one of his children. "You are Sailor Moon not Neo-Queen Serenity. You are no more her than my youngerself is me. We all are the product of our experiences. Ranma will become a very different Wiseman than the one I am. He will avoid mistakes I made and blunder into ones I avoided."

"Thanks a lot," said Ranma sarcastically.

"Our presence and our actions have changed things," said Wiseman.

"In more ways that you know, Wiseman," said an elderly voice.

The Sailor Senshi all jumped startled. "Hello co-wife Kě Lún," said Wiseman a twinkle in his eye.

Ranma shivered a little as Wiseman rolled his eyes. "You will learn to see beyond the physical and into the spiritual, young one."

"In a world where humans and youma have interbred that would be a requirement," said Cologne. "Wiseman, this piece of knowledge is going to cause major problems."

Wiseman frowned. "I know you don't mean from demon hunters so this must be one of the parts of Joketsuzoku that you didn't pass on to me." Wiseman rubbed his head. "How bad is it?"

"Civil war level of bad," said Cologne. "The Youma of bygone years would come and try to drain many of my people of their ki."

Wiseman nodded. "Yes that was in the oral tradition of the youma about them coming to Earth to feed. It was a natural ability they used sparingly and secretly because their Queen was a boosted human."

"Queen Beryl is a pathetically weak creature that gets a magic power boost thanks to that Metaria being inside her," scowled Quantize. "At least her Shitennou went and tried to improve themselves and so we respect them. For Queen Beryl we have nothing but contempt as she did not earn or work for the power she gained." Quantize looked over at the Sailor Senshi in disgust. "Our supposed Queen and her foes are nothing more than food to consume." Quartzite then looked over at Akane and smiled. "But these humans are different. They are strong enough to actually considering mating with."

"I guess you aren't too thrilled with me, then," said Wicked Lady. "Considering my power is not my own."

Quantize cocked her head to the side. "I don't know why you would think such a thing. You are like Wiseman who uses what magic he has very sparingly. The power you have is your own."

Wicked Lady frowned as she pulled out the Ginzuishou. "I thought this gave me the power I have."

Quantize raised an eyebrow. "That has magical power but I sense very little in you while these Sailor Senshi reek of it."

Hotaru frowned. "What of us?"

Quantize frowned. "I don't know what to make of you. You have strong life energies some of which are not your own. You have the same magic energy as the Sailor Senshi but you also have something very similar to our own as well."

"The energy similar to yours you are sensing is the energy being inside her while the life energy that is not hers is mine," said Wiseman. "It was intended as a stop gap measure to give her the time she needed learn how to generate her own ki like the youma who lived on Nemesis so long ago."

"That is why we came," said Hotaru. "To learn that method."

"And so you shall but from Saotome Ranma."

"Ho, wait a minute there, Wiseman," said Ranma raising his hands. "You want me to train her? But you are more skilled in this then I am."

"True I am more skilled but this isn't just about training her. You must learn how to apply what you know to teaching. By training Hotaru and Mistress 9 you will learn how to master life ki thanks to their large reserves of death ki."

"Death ki?" asked Happosai.

"Death ki is simply the form ki takes near or at the moment of death. Even ghosts have some degree of death ki for the first few moments of their transition but it eventually changes to a totally different type of ki," explained Wiseman.

Hotaru widened her eyes. "That must have been what Kasumi saw. It wasn't Death but her mother's ghost."

"Possible," said Wiseman. "But the point with Hotaru and Mistress 9 is their relationship will become more symbiotic then it was originally." Wiseman turned his attention to Cologne. "There are Elders who will see youma as a threat to be wiped out on sight while there will be others who will see them as valuable allies."

"Especially as there are youma-human mixed bloods that are my decedents."

"That was pretty obvious with Petz carrying your staff around," Wiseman sighed rubbing his head. "So on top of everything else we get have a potential civil war in a culture that could have known Sun Tzu personally. Wonderful."

Wiseman slumped. "It's time to go over the events in my life between now and the battle with Sa Fulang. Ok, there is the Reversal Jewel mess, the Pervert pissing off a female ghost and nearly dying, Taro with Spring of Drowned Twins thinking it's Virtuous Man water intending to splash said Pervert, Yohyo who wanted my female form as a wife, that Fishing pole of love mess, the battle with Herb Prince and Princess of the Musk, Hinako Ninomiya and her ki draining age changing technique, Ryugenzawa and his memory problems, Hinako starts chasing after Soun, Mousse with the Lens of Invincibility, Natsuhiko's demon and its bathing suit that tried to drag my female form into the sea, the Cursed Cave of Broken Loves, Kumon Ryu showing up knowing the Yama-senken while pretending to be me, Tatewaki Kuno having a baby phoenix on his head, Pink and Link showing up and creating one big mess with their blasted potions and poisons, Soun and Pops releasing that Oni that finally possessed Kasumi before we got it back in its box, Kashao Kinnosuke whose martial arts involves sticking people with the bill," Wiseman then paused smirking at Nabiki. "Only got 10 yen out of that mess, Nabs."

Wiseman then kept going. "Ryoga winding up with Akari as a fiancée, Hinako and her ki producing fish, Rakutaro and the Brocade Butterfly, the Umbrella of Love, that blasted Doll of Vengeance, that island with the Aloha Virus that turned every male stupid enough to eat the food infected by it into Pervert Junior, Rouge who fell in spring of Drowned Asura showing up, the Monkey Mountain Temple suit that makes its wearer stronger, the Toshi no kazu dake (Wiseman grinned at Cologne), the ki draining Jizo statue, Myojin Hayato and his octopus, the very annoying Shotgun Bean plant, that mess with Hinako draining that bust of Principal Kuno in the Repentance Room, the Incense of Spring Sleep," Wiseman again paused to chuckle. "Got to love it an Incense that allows you to fight when asleep."

Wiseman then continued seemingly oblivious to the open jaws of his non Black Moon Clan listeners. "Mousse thinking he got Shampoo into Three Year Smile of Death mode, the Mirror Mansion that created a duplicate of my female and later male forms, Konatsu of the Red Hot Teahouse Kunoichi finally getting away from his step sisters who had forced him to live as a woman nearly all his life, those blasted Bamboo Leaves of Love, Pops' bad idea of trying to steal something from a Saotome family grave and getting an IOU for his troubles, Mom deciding that I was manly despite the curse, my fiancées totaling Mom's house over a ring that was in reality a pill box, and finally the whole thing with Sa Fulang."

"You… have… got… to… be… kidding… me!" yelled Ranma.

"Actually I left out the unimportant stuff," said Wiseman grinning.

Left… out… unimportant… stuff," laughed Ranma. "You mean there is more?!"

"Not much really. The one thing the next five months are _not_ going to be is boring." Wiseman sighed. "I know some 38 incidents over what amounts to 22 weeks sounds like insanity time but Herb, Ryugenzawa, and Sa Fulang were the only ones that lasted a week or longer. The rest were one or two day events or in the case of Mom accepting our manliest and Pops taking up grave robbing occurred concurrently. Also note some of those things will not happen this time around because you know of them and can head them off. Cologne is not going to mess around with the Reversal Jewel and she will likely put the Lens of Invincibility where Mousse can't get it. The rest can be handled better."

"Can't you give us details," frowned Nabiki.

Esmeraude laughed. "So you can make a bundle in your betting pools? Sorry ancestor, but time travel doesn't work like that."

"Some of those events were triggered by your actions," said Prince Demando. "Simply knowing about them may be enough to change events."

"Eventually our future knowledge will become useless as the changes mount up," said Wiseman. "Ranma has started learning and trying to apply Sun Tzu to martial arts over a year before I did and he has the Jakokusuishou that I didn't acquire until _after_ I was on Nemesis. He will be able to see solutions that I didn't and couldn't see when those events originally happened."

"That is all well and good but I am not even sure how to use the Jakokusuishou at more than a basic level," complained Ranma.

"You have more than enough to start learning how to control the power of Jusenkyo," said Wiseman.

A panda stumbled out of a tree and came running up with a sign. 'You mean the boy can cure me?'

"Pops, as I said there is no cure," said Wiseman his eyed flashing with red ki. "Only control. My younger-self must learn how to control his own Jusenkyo curse before he can do anything."

Ranma frowned closing his eyes. Everyone watched as he slowly morphed back and forth between male and female several times. Returning to female form Ranma opened his eyes and shook his head. "I think I understand."

"What do you understand?" asked Wiseman.

"Control of the curse requires acceptance and balance between the two forms. If I try to remain in one form too long I will start to attract water that will change me into the other form. Also it will be a while before I am immune to hot or cold water."

'Cure your dear old father!' said a sign shoved in Ranma's face. The staff reformed in Ranma's hand and Genma wound up in the tree again.

Ranma blinked and looked at the ki staff in his right hand. "Becomes solid. That is really useful."

'Weapons can be taken away, boy' said a sign held by Genma the panda bear.

"Really?" Ranma asked tossing the ki copy of the Time Staff to Genma.

The tree promptly went up in big explosion of ki energy when Genma caught the staff. In the charred remnants of the tree a badly burnt panda held a sign that read 'What happened?' before it fell to the ground unconscious.

"Good physical strength and stamina but not much in the head," said Quantize as she looked at the panda. "Good to know it isn't an inherited problem," she continued looking at Ranma.

Wiseman chuckled at Ranma's reaction and then looked at the Sailor Senshi. "Ranma needs to start training you to generate ki so the youma don't continue to react to you like something they stepped in. Jupiter is going to have the easiest time as she has some fighting experience. The rest of you…are going to need a lot of work."

Quantize stood. "I need to return to my fellow youma less they start wondering what happened to me."

"Before you go I want Ranma to learn something," said Wiseman pulling out a black rag. Opening Ranma's hand he let the ruby flakes fall into it. Closing Ranma's hand Wiseman smiled. "I want you to send your confidence ki into the flakes and then anger ki into your fist itself.

Ranma looked at his fist and narrowed his eyes and the fist glowed blue and then red. When Ranma opened his hand had he found the ruby flakes had a bluish hue and were sitting in a little ball of anger ki.

"A very crude version of what I call a ki capacitor," said Wiseman as he picked up the ball. "The crystals absorb confidence ki and powers the anger ki you put around them." Wiseman then tossed the gem to the youma. "I think Pot Sight and his Queen will find that very interesting," he said.

~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~

Interesting was hardly the word Zoisite and Queen Beryl would have for the little ball. "This was produced by the young man Wiseman is grooming as his successor?" asked Queen Beryl.

"According to the report I have gotten yes, Queen Beryl," said Zoisite as he stared at the little red and blue ball.

"There is enough energy in that to feed 10 youma for a month," said Beryl unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

"That was my assessment as well," said Zoisite.

Quantize listened carefully keeping her face neutral. It had been simpler and far more believable to claim that the young man she had met in Nerima had been Wiseman's handpicked successor rather than his younger-self. She had fudged a few other facts as well.

"What else did you find out about this ruler of a youma kingdom that Wiseman supposedly acquired?"

"If I may, your majesty," said Quantize keeping the disgust of treating this human as if she was worthy of her title out of her voice. "Wiseman did give the king's full name: King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot. The legends about him say he was advised by a half human known as Merlin; it was said Merlin aged backwards because he always seemed younger."

Quantize took secret pride at seeing her 'Queen' pale. 'That is right Beryl, you boosted bitch. Assume Merlin was half human half youma.' Keeping her neutral demeanor Quantize continued. "I even discovered something the humans failed to notice in the legend. Both Arthur's father and that of his half sister Morgana were human. But Morgana is also known as Morgan le Fey indicating that her mother and therefore Arthur's belonged to a race the people in Britain called Faerie, a race of shape shifters."

'Didn't know she could get any paler,' thought Quantize as she continued. "From the Lady of the Lake who also was also of Faerie he received the sword Excalibur and its scabbard. Years Arthur was mortally wounded and taken to Avalon, a place in the Faerie domain. The humans believe that he will return in Britain's greatest hour of need to lead them again." Quantize shrugged her shoulders. "The last bit is just a story as Wiseman said Pendragon was the last king but I can personally state that the Black Moon Clan is of both human and yourma blood."

"Thank you for your detailed report, Quantize," said Queen Beryl now so pale that she looked like she was a couple quarts low. Quantize gave the required bow and left the area around the throne. Once out of earshot of Queen Beryl she found herself barraged by eager youma.

As Quantize fielded dozens of questions about Wiseman and his 'successor' Queen Beryl looked at the little red ball with dread that only increased when a mental voice added another piece of information. 'This successor Wiseman has chosen, in addition to this power, also uses some from the same source mine comes from,' said the mental voice of Metaria.

That was not the kind of information Beryl needed. The youma were willing to allow a few set backs against the Sailor Senshi but this Wiseman and his allies were a whole difference story. Given that Wiseman's successor also had the power of Chaos to draw on and was actually trying to recruit the Sailor Senshi to his cause the only future Beryl saw that didn't involve her getting killed outright was as a youma's "plaything". Beryl shuttered, even being a youma's personal slave was preferable to _that_.

The only option Beryl felt she had was to get her two Shitennou out in the field with as many youma as they could transport and try to gather energy. Odds were that the youma would defect enmass to Wiseman but without the Shitennou they couldn't get back here to be part of a revolution. It was not an ideal solution but it would secure her position of power until she got even more information on Wiseman's successor.

~*~*Nerima ward*~*~

Rei shook her head trying to clear it as Ranma scowled at her opponent. "Taro, as a martial artist you know better than to involve less skilled people in your little fights with Happosai."

"MOOOO!" replied the two legged yak with wings and tentacles its snake tail lashing back and forth like a whip a caste of water held in its left arm.

"I know you want to change your name but that water is not going to help; you got Pool of Drowned Twins not Pool of Drowned Virtuous Man."

"Moo?" replied Taro.

"For terrorizing innocent girls who are trying to better themselves through martial arts in the name of the Moon I will punish you," said Sailor Moon taking up her traditional stance.

"Even with my younger-self helping we still get the Kuno like speeches," groaned Wiseman.

"Sailor Moon, that isn't a minion of Queen Beryl," said Ranma. "It's just a martial artist that fell into pool of drowned menagerie though I have to admit the tentacles are new."

"You mean it isn't a youma out to ravish the females of the district?" asked Rei.

"Moo!" yelled a wide-eyed Taro.

"You do have to admit he does look like something out of a hentai manga," said Ami.

"Do we want to know how _you_ know that, Mercury?" asked Ranma.

"Moo moo moo!" said Taro pointing to the cask of water.

"Will you find some hot water and turn into a human so we all can understand you, you idiot!" yelled Ranma. "If you don't believe us, you can test the water."

"Mooo!" replied Taro angrily as he dumped some of the water on Sailor Moon.

The air was filed with Sailor Moon's ear piercing scream as she split into Sailor Moon and Tsukino Usagi.

"That is NOT what I meant," yelled Ranma.

"Moo," said Taro frowning.

Sailor Moon and Tsukino Usagi shook their heads as they slowly stood staring at Taro while Wiseman took a solid step forward.

"No one attack him. We can't risk anyone else being hit by that water," yelled Ranma as Akane and his mother came out of the Tendo house.

"Moo moo," said Taro as he turned and ran away.

"The idiot will be back to do something else dumb," scowled Ranma. "Well, this is a fine mess," he said turning to Sailor Moon and Tsukino Usagi. "Clearly the magic of the water interacted with the Sailor Senshi magic altering the effect."

"Wiseman, how much of a danger is this Taro?" asked Sailor Moon looking at Ranma.

"Until now I didn't think he was _any_ danger to non martial artists. His desperation to get his name changed has made him reckless." Ranma frowned. "Sailor Moon, how do you feel?"

"I feel…incomplete. I can't really explain it."

Ranma continued to frown, "Usagi?"

"Ranma, something is wrong. It's like there are gaps in my memory," said Usagi said fear in her eyes.

Ranma nodded. "Describe the first major gap in your memory."

"There was this black cat that I had rescued from some bullies tormenting it. Turned out she was a Moon Cat from the Moon Kingdom named Luna. She followed me home and gave me a compact and said to say 'Moon Crystal Make up' and… that is where my memory stops."

"That is when I first fought the Dark Kingdom," said Sailor Moon. "There was this youma draining people's energy and barely defeated it mainly because I didn't understand my powers."

Ranma scowled. "I think I have an idea what happened but you are not going to like it. First I want to test something. Usagi, generate a fist size ball of confidence ki."

Usagi nodded and a blue ball formed in her hand.

"Sailor Moon, generate a fist size ball of confidence ki."

Sailor Moon blinked. "I don't know how."

Ranma nodded grimly. "Because I taught it to Usagi and she hadn't gotten to the point where it was safe to use it as Sailor Moon."

"Ranma, what happened?" asked a worried Rei.

"I think I see what has happened," said Ami. "Their memories have been spit. Usagi can only remember what she learned as Usagi while Sailor Moon can only recall what she learned as Sailor Moon."

"Exactly and if I am reading their ki right this is only the beginning part of the process for Sailor Moon." Ranma narrowed his eyes. "Sailor Moon, what is your mother's name?"

"Queen Serenity," responded Sailor Moon quickly.

"That was your mother in the Moon Kingdom thousands of years ago," responded Ranma. "I mean your mother _now_."

"I…I don't know, Wiseman," Sailor Moon said frowning.

Ranma sighed. "That confirms it. While Usagi has lost all her memories as Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon is still slowly losing the personal memories Usagi has. More general knowledge like where she is and where things are will remain but the personal emotion those memories invoke is gone."

"Ranma, that implies some dangerous possibilities," said Wiseman. "Sailor Moon, say you have a youma holding a human as a shield. The only way to get at the youma is to kill the human. What do you do?"

Sailor Moon smiled. "That's easy. It is one life against the many the youma could harm in the future. This is war and in war people die."

Usagi and the Sailor Senshi looked at Sailor Moon horrified. "How can you be so cold blooded?" yelled Usagi.

Ranma looked at his older-self. "Wiseman, you want to tell her or should I?"

"I know what you are thinking but I just don't want to accept it," said Wiseman.

Ranma turned his attention to Sailor Moon. "Sailor Moon, how do you feel emotionally?"

"I don't understand, Wiseman."

"Kuso," whispered Wicked Lady. "She is acting just like the people in Crystal Tokyo do."

"_This_ is what the Cleansing does to people?!" bellowed Wiseman a deep red aura the color of flowing blood forming around him.

"I've never seen Wiseman this mad before," whispered Prince Demando. "Hope I never see it again."

"He's got good reason to be furious," said Ranma narrowing his eyes. "Focus beyond normal ki viewing and look."

"Wicked Lady," said Wiseman in an icy voice, "if your mother doesn't undo this so help me I swear upon my honor as a martial artist I am going to show her _exactly_ when happened to Sa Fulang in our first battle with her in the role of Sa Fulang."

Everyone watched as the color drained out of Wicked Lady's face followed by the rest of the Black Moon Clan. "Dear Kami-sama in heaven," whispered Wicked Lady.

"Wiseman, Ranma, what are you seeing?" asked Usagi.

"It is what they are not seeing that has them ready to go use my mother for target practice," growled Wicked Lady.

"What aren't they seeing?" asked a timid voice that resulted in Wicked Lady seeming to disappear.

"Pluto!" hissed Wicked Lady her hand around the time Senshi's throat. "Tell me, why I shouldn't strip you naked, cover you in honey, and shove you tied up into a fire ant mound?"

"Not your Pluto," gasped the Senshi. "Banished Neo-Queen Serenity and her Sailor Senshi to Mt. Fuji one week in the future. Week ends tomorrow."

Wicked Lady frowned letting the Time Senshi go. "That I will accept."

Ranma watched as Wiseman strode up to the trembling Pluto glowing like a walking human poker. "Usagi I trust. You I don't," said Wiseman the anger clear in his voice. "What assurances do I have you aren't going to later threaten my original family?"

Pluto fell to her knees and grabbed Wiseman's robe. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to forget what you taught me. I can change. I will be a different Pluto then the one you knew. Please, mom, don't hate me."

Wiseman's aura went out like a candle flame in a hurricane as Ranma put his hand on Wiseman's shoulder. "Looks like," Ranma paused as if looking for the right words, "we weren't the only ones who were looking for acceptance from our mothers."

Pluto then grabbed Ranma's robe as she continued her mixture of groveling and pleading. Wicked Lady started shaking her head as she started snickering, then giggling, and finally broke down laughing.

"I'm sorry," she gasped as tears rolled down her face while everyone looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and horror. "I know Pluto is sincere and all but with Ranma in that costume it's like watching a badly acted version of a _Christmas Carol_ with Pluto in the role of Scrooge."

Wiseman looked at Wicked Lady for a moment before also breaking down in a fit of laughter as Ranma comforted the now sobbing Pluto. "Kuso, she is right," gasped Wiseman. "It _is_ like a very badly acted _Christmas Carol_."

Wicked Lady by this time had calmed down. "To answer her question you need to know that ki of animals and people has emotional hues that can be detected by experts. Many of you have yellow and red hues in your auras right now showing fear and anger. Hotaru has some blue because she is confident that Wiseman or Ranma can somehow fix this. Pluto has a very strong orange hue to her personal aura signifying depression." Wicked Lady then got very serious. "Sailor Moon by contrast has a totally neutral aura; there is no emotional hue to her aura at all."

"You say that like it is problem," said Sailor Moon.

"That is because it _is_ a problem," said Ranma. "Remember the concept of yin and yang? If you can't feel sorrow then how can you know joy? If pain is unknown then how can there be any pleasure?" Ranma allowed red ki to flash in his narrowed eyes. "Without hate how can you feel love?""

Usagi backed away from Sailor Moon her face filled with horror while Sailor Moon simply cocked her head to one side. "She's a monster," Usagi whispered.

"No," said Wiseman shaking his head. "She isn't. The other people that could have been Wiseman were monsters because they held malice and hate in their souls. Sailor Moon has none but she also doesn't have the opposites of compassion and love in her soul either."

"Too little emotion is as damaging as too much, Sailor Moon," said Ranma pulling a copy of _Art of War_ out of his robe. "Could you go inside the house; I need to calm Usagi down," Ranma said handing Sailor Moon the book. "You can use the time to refamiliarize yourself with the teachings of Sun Tzu."

"Very good, Wiseman," Sailor Moon said nodding and then going inside the Tendo house.

"Calm down? Ranma, you can't be seriously be considering letting _that_ run around Tokyo!" fumed Usagi pointing in the direction of Sailor Moon.

"According to Wicked Lady _that_ is what your future-self turned every man, woman, and child in the world that stayed on Earth into," said Wiseman.

"There is more than her being devoid of emotion," said Ami. "Didn't any of you notice that every time she formally addressed Ranma she called him Wiseman?"

Ranma frowned. "You're right and she never addressed my future-self by any name." Ranma then pulled out the Jakokusuishou. "Having her reacquaint herself with Sun Tzu bought us some time but not much. We may have to take a very risky option in accelerating Usagi's training so that Sailor Moon stays out of the field."

"Ranma, I know what you are thinking and you can't be serious," said Wiseman.

"I am very serious but I am not going to let Usagi go into this blind. Mom, Akane, I want you to tell Usagi as much of what living my life was like. The rest of you, I want a better option then having Usagi live through my life."

"Does it have to be your entire life?" asked Hotaru.

Ranma looked at Hotaru in thought. "No, just the portions that relate to ki manipulation. But I don't know how to reorganize my life so she would only get those parts. Cologne or the Pervert could provide the markers but I don't trust the Pervert and there could be the risk of tribal secrets getting mixed in if Cologne is involved."

"Thanks to Wiseman Mistress 9 now understands ki enough to detect it. She could be your guide."

Ranma frowned. "I could try to give you a general overview of my life so that only those events involving the learning of ki would be experienced. I should warn you that it is risky."

"Ranma, with all that you went through did you ever want to kill yourself?" asked Hotaru. Ranma looked at the girl totally horrified. "We thought not. I have, several times. No matter what kind of life you had it can't measure up to mine."

Wiseman gave a humorless laugh. "You don't know Pops."

Hotaru smiled unpleasantly. "We've seen enough of his stupidity over the last weak to have some idea. Besides, Mistress 9 and I would love to show him just how weak women are."

Ranma sighed and took Hotaru's hands in his own as he had done some many times before but this time he was also using the power of the Jakokusuishou. Ranma's now blue tinged aura and Hotaru's black death ki aura manifested and swirled together forming a ki version of the yin yang symbol. The auras then took on a purple hue as they swirled and eventually the auras dimmed.

"Ranma," asked Hotaru calmly, "why haven't you put your father in the nearest hospital, yet?"

"Originally it was because Pops was cagy enough to avoid it but now I need _someone_ for you guys to practice on."

"Practice on not train with," chuckled Hotaru.

"Pops would never train anyone he thought a _weak girl_", said Ranma. "He might consider Makoto worth training and I know that he will eventually look at trying to train Hotaru and Usagi." Ranma winced. "Operative word in that sentence is _try_."

"Like he tried to teach you that blasted Neko-ken?" asked Akane.

"You have to admit what we are planning right now is not much better," said Ranma frowning. "The only difference is Usagi is going to have as good an idea of what she is letting herself in for as we can give."

"That is what separates you from your father, Ranma," said Nodoka.

"No," said Wiseman firmly folding his arms. "_That_ is what separates Wiseman from Saotome Ranma."

Everyone looked at Wiseman with puzzled expressions on their faces with the exception of Ranma. "Admitting that help is needed, to prepare for the worse known option while looking for better alternatives, and being as forthright about what you do and don't know. These are the traits that separate Wiseman from Saotome Ranma."

**~*~*Author Note*~*~**

The sequence I have Wiseman give is the one that appears in the manga but as I hint and shown the story will deviate from it. This was more of a set up chapter than anything else, to show that things are quickly building to a head. The next chapter should be where things get going full steam.


	8. Chap 08 Herb and spices

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 8 – Herb and Spices

Wiseman sat about a foot of the ground looking at the kio pond as Usagi approached.

"You didn't learn how to see ki hues until after getting to Nemesis," said Usagi.

"If I had perhaps this mess wouldn't be happening."

"The Jakokusuishou isn't able to show you?"

"My life is too chaotic. My youngerself likely won't go on the trip that caused me to meet Yohyo. I feel Herb's ki and that means the meeting with him will happen before the whole mess with the Fishing Pole of Love happens. Things are changing already."

Usagi nodded. "For the better. This Pluto will never threaten Ranma's mother or Akane's sisters. I have no intention to becoming someone that turns people into emotional zombies but Ranma is well on his way to becoming Wiseman."

Wiseman turned toward Usagi. "I know what you are thinking for I have often wondered it myself."

Usagi licked her lips nervously. "The Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou are in essence yin and yang. If Wiseman is a reaction to Neo-Queen Serenity then it stands to reason that Neo-Queen Serenity is a reaction to Wiseman."

"Perhaps but not in that way," said Ranma. "Every other person who could have gotten the Jakokusuishou would have become an undead murderous lunatic. Perhaps who gets the Ginzuishou is destiny but who says how she uses it is?"

Wiseman laughed. "Very good, Ranma. Even _we_ have our dark side. What if we hadn't believed Pluto and she had carried out her threat? Just because we are the best possible Wiseman doesn't mean we would all turn out the same."

"What are we going to do about Sailor Moon?" asked Usagi. "I can't leave her here but I don't think taking her home is a good idea either."

"Actually taking her home may be a good idea," said Wiseman. "Sometimes being upfront about your problems is the best way to deal with them. Besides in a sense she is your sister."

"My parents were wary of me coming near this ward. They find about this they are going to hit the roof. They'll likely ground me until college."

"Not if Ranma, Wismean, and I come along," said Hotaru. "I'm sure we can reason with them."

**~*~*Tsukino Residence*~*~**

Whoever had said 'Hell has no fury like a woman scorned' had never encountered a parent trying to protect their child from a perceived threat. True to her prediction her parents Ikuko and Kenji went totally ballistic when they found out about her being Sailor Moon and then things went downhill from there.

Ranma decided to sit this out less the old Saotome foot and mouth disease kicked in especially as Wiseman was having a very bad case of it. Hotaru's efforts to try and restrain Ikuko with her hair had only accelerated the disintegration of the situation. Looking around for somewhere safer to be then he currently was, Ranma noticed a small black cat with a moon crescent scar on its forehead walking in. Ranma then looked back at Wiseman who was clearly too busy doing his best to calm down Kenji even as the man was threatening to punch him to even notice.

Wiseman may have acquired greater control over the Neko-ken but his reaction regarding Shampoo showed he still suffered from it in some fashion. "Might be a good idea to get you out of here. I don't know if Wiseman can go Neko but best not to find out," said Ranma as he knelt over to pick up the cat.

Usagi was an emotional mess as her parents continued to berate Wiseman and Hotaru for things that weren't their fault while Sailor Moon stood there clearly puzzled at the emotions everyone was demonstrating. Usagi was angry but knew she couldn't lash out at her parents less she got grounded until after she graduated from college. Usagi then noticed Ranma leaning over to pick up a black cat and found an outlet for her anger.

"LUNA!" screamed Usagi demonstrating one of her newly learned martial arts skills by producing a nice battle aura that also created enough of a concessive blast to knock everyone away from her as well as sending the room temperature up about ten degrees.

"Kuso," said Wiseman. "She's mad. Reminds me of my first wife when she learned about P-chan."

"Usagi?" asked a voice that came from the cat as the infuriated girl came toward Ranma.

"Appears my other half has some issues with our advisor," said Sailor Moon as if talking about the weather.

"Sailor Moon?" said the cat looking between Sailor Moon and Usagi.

The cat then jumped out of Ranma's arms and behind Sailor Moon. "Sailor Moon, she must be a youma."

"I'm no youma you blasted Swiss cheesed brained furball!" bellowed Usagi. "I just wanted to be a normal girl with normal dreams but nooooo you had to get involved in my life and turn into a nightmare. Why did you have to reveal that I was the reincarnated Princess of a long dead kingdom who gets to fight the youma of some 12,000-year-old conquest happy maniac on a nearly weekly basis?" Usagi continued to yell tears now running down her face.

"I told Wiseman that bringing that _thing_ here was a mistake," growled Usagi pointing to Sailor Moon. "That is my power as Sailor Moon given a mind but no emotion. There is no hate or anger but also no love or compassion. If you rather side with that thing than me, Luna, you're welcome to her."

Usagi then turned to her parents still glowing and crying. "You two are little better. Wiseman and Hotaru came here to explain things but you didn't even give them a chance to try. Do you think that I wanted this? You think I liked being the target of the minions of some deranged self proclaimed 12,000 year old Queen who wants to take over the world? Do you seriously think that just because Sailor Moon and I are separated that I can go back to a normal life? The twisted mess that my 1,000 year old future self is going to be showing up tomorrow and she is worse than Queen Beryl and this emotionless thing is not going to have idea one on how to handle her."

"I came here for support and understanding and I find my parents are as messed up as Wiseman's were," cried Usagi as she bolted from the room out the door and into the street.

"You six stay here," said Ranma angrily. "I don't think she is in the mood to deal with _any_ of you."

"I am not staying here while my daughter…" started Kenji before Ranma grabbed the man.

"Listen to me. She just compared you to a man who took his only son and threw him tied up in fish products into a pit of starving cats repeatedly and your wife to a woman who was ready to have her only son commit suicide regarding an ill defined man among men promise made when he was three years old. I don't think she is in any state to have you two going after her." Ranma then pushed the man away before trying to follow Usagi.

~*~*RS*~*~

Usagi was running through the streets sobbing. She really couldn't go back to the Tendos as Wiseman would think there was something to salvage from the mess that had just happened. Once her parents learned whom she had just compared them to she would be lucky if they didn't disown her. Confused she stumbled into an ally to see a girl let a boy fall to the ground.

"More food," smiled the girl as she morphed into a youma.

"For who?" asked Usagi her anger coming to the surface once again as the youma grabbed her. "You, your clan, or that boosted bitch Queen Beryl?"

The youma blinked at the reaction. "You're human but you talk like a youma."

Now it was Usagi's turn to blink in puzzlement. Then she realized that in the way her statement had come out it _had_ sounded like something a youma would say. "Perhaps thanks to Wiseman I understand you a little better." Usagi looked at the youma trying to remember what little Wiseman had said about their culture before King Pendragon. "Strength should be based on one's merits not something easily obtained."

The youma smiled nodding its head as it let the human go. "Sounds like Wiseman knows a lot about our culture." The youma cocked its head. "Are you part of the Black Moon Clan?"

"No but Wiseman has been training me and my friends."

"What are you doing here?" asked the youma.

"Wiseman was trying to sooth over a complication created by a martial artist with some magic water with my parents and things didn't work out very well. I lost it and said some things I really shouldn't have. My parents likely have disowned me because of it."

The youma scowled. Clan or as the humans called it family was one of the most important things in youma society; it determined your ranking and your actions either increased or decreased the ranking of your family. As a result disownment was the worst punishment that could be inflicted on a youma and was reserved for only the vilest offenses. That a human clan would disown one of their own for something so trivial disgusted the youma no end.

"Must have been something really bad."

"It was, I compared them to Wiseman's parents."

The youma blinked. "I don't understand."

"Wiseman's parents were real messes. His father was a total idiot training him in whatever martial arts technique came his way without fully reading the thing. His mother wanted to hold him to an ill-defined oath to become a man among men made when he was three years old." Usagi gave a soft chuckle. "It's ironic. A man who was able to kill the Phoenix kimi Sa Fulang and blow off the top of a mountain was afraid that his changing into a girl wouldn't meet up to his mother's definition."

The youma again blinked. Wiseman's parents sounded like they had been total monsters. What parent would train their child in something they hadn't at least fully read and explained or hold them to some ill-defined oath? And what was this about Wiseman changing form? Wiseman was fully human. Humans didn't normally change form without magic. That part about Wiseman blasting the top off of a mountain while it did sound incredible would fit in the image the youma had been forming of the mysterious human.

"Usagi?" asked a male voice.

Turning the youma noted a robed male figure at the entrance of the alley as lightning lit up the sky. The amount of life energy coming from the man was incredible—enough to feed a sizable part of the Dark Kingdom's youma population for months. "Wiseman?" she asked.

The figure seemed to pause and then laughed. "No, not for a long time," said the man as it started to rain. The youma's jaw dropped as the man changed into a girl. The now female robed figure looked up into the sky and sighed. "I really have to find a way to control this so water doesn't trigger the change."

"Don't worry, Ranma, you will ultimately master it just like Wiseman did."

Ranma faced Usagi and the youma as he moved to a sitting position. "Nice use of the Saotome Ultimate technique—run from the mess until you can figure out something better to do."

"Only half used. I haven't gotten to the figure out something better to do part yet." Usagi narrowed her eyes. "You aren't going to force me to go back, are you?"

"After you compared your parents to Wiseman's? Hardly, especially as I told your father just what the Neko-ken entailed. I think he was in total shock when I left. A lot of things were said that shouldn't have been said and everyone needs to calm down and get their heads back on straight."

"What is this Neko-ken?" asked the youma.

"A testimony to the stupidly of martial artists," said Ranma. "Dig a pit and fill it with starving cats, tie the trainee in fish products and throw into pit, repeat until trainee learns the technique by temporality going insane and trying to tear you into little pieces."

"But you were able to pick up Luna," said Usagi as the youma looked at Ranma in shock.

"It was the thought of my mother attacking Neo-Queen Serenity or Sailor Pluto and getting killed that did something to my Neko-ken; it is still there but the trigger doesn't seem to be cats anymore. I could see it when he saw Shampoo that Wiseman still suffers from the fear but has greater control. I didn't want to take the chance his control might slip with the way your parents were verbally going at him. Got a surprise when you went totally ballistic and the thing talked."

"That was Luna, a moon cat and the one responsible for bringing Sailor Moon into my life and screwing it up nearly as bad as yours."

"You were a little hard on Sailor Moon and Luna back there."

"Mainly because of what they represent to me, Ranma. Luna sold me on the idea of Sailor Moon and helping bring back the Moon Kingdom. I've seen what that will lead to with Neo-Queen Serenity—a world where everybody is the same emotionless thing Sailor Moon is. She can't hate but she can't love either. Neo-Queen Serenity's plans for this world are no better than Queen Beryl's are. If anything she is worse."

"On that we agree. But regardless of what the mixing of Jusenkyo's and the Moon Kingdom's magic did to both of you she is also your flesh and blood. Tsukino Usagi would never abandon her friends and she certainly wouldn't abandon her family no matter what."

Usagi frowned in determination. "You're right, Ranma. Wiseman said energy couldn't be created or destroyed, only changed in form. Neo-Queen Serenity and Wiseman show that the magic of the Moon Kingdom can be used or abused and I will no longer tolerate Neo-Queen Serenity's abuse of that power."

Ranma nodded. "Everything Wiseman said indicated the Jakokusuishou and Ginzuishou had a common origin." Ranma pulled out the Jakokusuishou. "Neo-Queen Serenity knew what it was and that I had it. She didn't seem thrilled with the idea of me having it or finding that I am the reincarnation of Sailor Pluto's mother. I suspect that while the energy may be in the Ginzuishou the key to reversing her Cleansing is in the Jakokusuishou." Ranma then put the Jakokusuishou back in his pocket. "Now, let's figure where you and your companion can stay that will result in the least amount of problems."

~*~*RS*~*~

Wiseman steepled his hands as he looked at Usagi's parents. "I recommended coming here over your daughter's objections because it should have resulted in the least amount of problems. I have been a parent many times over my 1,000 plus year life so I know what it is to be concerned for your child's safety but you two took it to level of extreme that totally blew up in all our faces."

"How can Usagi and Sailor Moon exist at the same time?" asked Luna.

"You can thank Taro for that. He thought the best way to test the Jusenkyo water he was carrying was to pour part of it on Sailor Moon. Spring of Drowned Twins and Moon Kingdom magic doesn't seem to work together well. The result was Tsukino Usagi and Sailor Moon becoming two separate people. The problem is that Sailor Moon didn't get any of Tsukino Usagi's emotions or personal knowledge. Sailor Moon is simply the Moon Kingdom's powers given a human mind but not human emotions."

"And because I don't have them I can't understand them and defeat Queen Beryl," said Sailor Moon.

"Huh?" said Luna.

"Sun Tzu said understanding your enemy is the first key to defeating them. If I can't understand Beryl I can't defeat her," said Sailor Moon.

"You are the Princess," fumed Luna. "It is your duty to defeat Queen Beryl."

"It may be my duty but if I do not have the ability all my leadership will do is result in the defeat of the Sailor Senshi. Usagi's reasoning was emotional but her conclusion was essentially the right one; I am not fit to lead the Sailor Senshi in my current condition. Logic indicates Wiseman is better suited to lead the Sailor Senshi."

"WHAT?" yelled Luna. "You can't be serious. This person practically radiates Negaverse energy."

"That is a specter of what Wiseman might have been. I talk of the true Wiseman who is currently looking for my sister."

"Specter of what Wiseman might have been," repeated Wiseman chuckling. "That is a very good description of what I am. I have to be honest and say she is right. There are skills Ranma uses on a daily basis that I haven't used in centuries mainly because my life is not the crises or fiasco of the week his is." Wiseman leaned back in his chair. "Nemesis has never known a true war, theft and murder are things they read about in history books, child abuse such as what made me the martial artist I was is considered as reprehensible as rape and we have a much broader definition of the term then you do. It isn't an utopia by any stretch of the imagination as people do get hurt, sometimes maimed, and very rarely killed in training accidents. He may not have my power and experience but he has a spontaneity that I have lost. He went after Usagi while I stood around like old P-chan wondering where he was." Wiseman rested his chin on his hands. "Thankfully I have a rough idea where he will take Usagi when he finds her."

"It won't be home will it?" asked Ikuko.

"No, but I will tell you this—it will be one of the safest places he could take her."

"The safest place she could take her is home," said Kenji.

Wiseman leaned forward in his chair. "Let me give you a thumbnail view of my parents so you can see why in her mind that is not the case."

**~*~*Neko haten Cafe*~*~**

In the Neko haten Cologne was talking to a cloaked figure when the door opened. "Sorry about this, Elder; but this was the only place I could think of bringing them to," said a female figure in a drenched robe. Beside her were two equally drenched females. A soft red glow emanated from the robed figure that caused the room to become warmer. "That should be enough to where we aren't dripping all over the floor," said the figure as it walked to the table. The robed figure then changed from female to male in midstride causing the cloaked figure to slowly stand.

"Wiseman?" asked the cloaked figure.

The robed figure removed his hood revealing a 17-year-old man. "Nah, I'm just Saotome Ranma, Wiseman in training."

"Wiseman is with my parents," said the blond haired girl. She then scowled. "So is Sailor Moon."

"Taro showed up and didn't want to believe that the cask of Jusenkyo water he had was from pool Drowned Twins rather than Virtuous Man and decided the best way to test it was to pour it on Sailor Moon. Wiseman, Hotaru, and I went to Usagi's place to explain the mess to her parents but things didn't work out as planned. Her parents got over protective; and frustrated with all the yelling now going on Usagi compared them to Wiseman's parents and left the house. I found her with the youma here and figured this was the best place to bring them until everybody calmed down."

Cologne sighed and gestured to the three to sit down. "We were just talking about you and Wiseman. This is Herb of the Musk. His curse has been locked by the Pail of Preservation."

"Curse?" asked the youma.

"The pools of Jusenkyo are regarded as a curse. I looked at my own transformation as such until I learned that while there was no cure I could control it." Ranma pulled out the Jakokusuishou frowning. "This allowed me to develop a method of control but it is still a work in progress. I have no idea if I can even effect this locking."

Herb nodded. "I understand but this control sounds interesting."

"As you saw water still has an effect but once you are dry you can change between the forms," said Ranma as he changed into his female form.

"Mother," whispered the voice of Pluto. "The Black Moon Clan showed that humans and youma can coexist. I went to Jusenkyo and got something I thought might help; I even tested it on myself to make sure I had the right water."

Ranma turned to see Sailor Pluto standing in a dimly lit corner her hand on another cask of Jusenkyo water. Ranma widened his eyes as he slowly stood.

"I hope you are pleased, mother," said Pluto. "What better way to make the youma understand we are not their enemy then to become youma?" she finished as she stepped into the light.

Everyone else at the table now looked at Pluto in shock. Her costume clearly denoted her as a Sailor Senshi but the person in that costume while humanoid was clearly not human. Her skin was now a slightly deeper shade of green then her hair and her maroon eyes had a golden glow to them. "I was expecting a conflict between being in my cold water form and my transformation but I can say there is no problem," said Pluto smiling. Pluto then frowned. "But I am so hungry, mother. It hurts."

"A Sailor Senshi that is a youma? How?" asked the youma.

"This is the power of Jusenkyo," said Ranma softly as Usagi stood.

"Her ki is so low," said Usagi as she walked over and touched Pluto. Usagi closed her eyes and focusing on what she knew about ki from Ranma pumping the excess ki she was generating into Pluto.

Pluto closed her eyes and smiled. "Oh yes! So much energy." Pluto eyes then snapped open filled with a nearly predatory lust. "Prime mating material," she whispered as she grabbed Usagi by the shoulders her hands turning into firm claws.

"Daughter, you forget yourself," said Ranma firmly hoping he sounded authoritative.

Pluto blinked and looked at Ranma. She then looked at Usagi who was nervously waiting to see was the Sailor Senshi turned youma was going to do. "Yes, mother. Sorry, mother," said Pluto as she let the girl go.

"It was understandable," said Ranma as Usagi backed away from Pluto. 'Sadly so was this mess. You so desperately want my approval that would turn yourself into what you were originally taught to fight. Didn't know there was a Pool of Drown Youma in the place but given its size I guess I shouldn't be surprised.' "You need to taught how generate your own ki so you don't flip out like that."

KLUNK! SPLASH!

"Guys, I kind of backed into the cask of water here and got some of it on me," said Usagi's voice.

Ranma looked in the direction of the noise dreading what had likely happened. True to his worse fears Usagi was indeed dripping wet. Her skin was now nearly chalk white with a slightly bluish tone to it.

"Usagi?" asked Ranma afraid was going to get a replay of Pluto going nuts.

Usagi frowned and generated a blue ki ball in her right hand. "I seem to be fine, Ranma. Don't feel the least bit hungry."

"Ok first thing we do is get that cask covered and locked up before anybody else falls into it," said Ranma. "Then we get into the fun part of training two of you how to generate your own ki and Herb the basics of control." Ranma then looked at Cologne. "After that the Elder can give me advice on how to explain this to Usagi's parents in a way that they aren't going to want to pound the lot of us."

~*~*RS*~*~

Elsewhere Beyrl's two remaining Shitennou, Zoisite and Kunzite, where having their hands full trying to control the youma Queen Beryl kept sending them.

"The youma should respect their Queen and not openly call her a Boosted Bitch," said Kunzite.

Zoisite snorted. "What is there to respect? You forget I was close enough to feel the energy of both Sailor Nemesis and Sailor Black Moon. I left out a piece of information because if I had told it we would have had a revolution right then and there."

Kunzite frowned. "What piece of information is that?"

"While Sailor Black Moon uses the power of the Sailor Senshi, the power that Sailor Nemesis taps into is very similar to what Metaria uses. Quantize secretly confirmed that Wiseman's power also feels similar. I am assuming Wiseman, Sailor Nemesis, and Metaria all tap into the same power and the difference is in the way they use it." Zoisite nodded as Kunzite paled. "We're not here to collect energy to free Beryl or whatever other garbage she told us. We are here simply for her to have an excuse to send youma to Earth so there will be less there when the revolution happens."

Zoisite straightened his uniform. "So you see this is not the simple battle between the Moon Kingdom and Dark Kingdom you think it is. It is clear that the power that is behind Metaria has gotten tired of her bungling and sent this Wiseman and his Black Moon Clan as possible replacements. Sailor Nemesis showed that Wiseman had managed to enlist a Sailor Senshi as an ally and Quantize confirmed that he was enlisting even more Sailor Senshi to his cause as well."

"The Sailor Senshi are a force of Order while Metaria belongs to Chaos," responded Kunzite. "There is no way they can truly work together."

"Wiseman found a way," responded Zoisite. "Quantize said the Sailor Senshi Wiseman was training were very opposed to Neo-Queen Serenity who I have to assume is the reincarnated Princess we have been running around looking for. Wiseman is the future. Beryl and this Neo-Queen Serenity both belong to a dead past that simply hasn't realized it _is_ dead."

Quantize appeared and quickly ran up to Zoisite. "I have found residual energy of Wiseman at a school in this ward."

"Show me," commanded Zoisite eager to meet people who Wiseman no doubt thought worth improving. Kunzite by contrast decided to visit the school of Wiseman's successor.

~*~*RS*~*~

"Wiseman, perhaps we should give out tickets any time you talk about your father," said Hotaru as the pair walked to Usagi's school.

"So that everyone who want hurts or kill him knows who has first dibs?" asked Wiseman his tattered purple robe looking even worse that it normally did. "Might be a good idea. Even the youma didn't like Pops but he was relatively safe on Earth doing the mindless office drone thing." Wiseman stumbled a bit.

"Wiseman, when did you last sleep?" asked Hotaru.

"Right before I wound up in this time period. Normally I could just do a little meditation and be fine for a while but that is not a replacement for actual sleep." Wiseman sighed. "Even with all my ki reserves I am rapidly reaching a point of emotional and psychological exhaustion. I am going to have to admit my limits in this and allow Ranma to take on some of the training roles I have planned before I totally collapse."

At the school that Wiseman and Hotaru were on their way to, Zoisite was simply standing his jaw opened in shock. "This...this is where I met Sailor Nemesis and Sailor Black Moon."

"This is much better than running like a crazy woman because I am late, Zirconite." said a girl's voice.

Zoisite turned recognizing the name of Jadeite's youma that was still gathering energy long after her master had been imprisoned in crystal. He noted the youma in human form walking beside a nondescript human girl.

"You were late often, Usagi?" asked Zirconite.

"I didn't take my studies seriously back then," replied Usagi wincing. "Then Luna and Sailor Moon getting involved in my life didn't leave much time outside of dealing with the headache of the week the Boosted Negabitch caused this time."

"Boosted Negabitch," snickered Zirconite. "That is an excellent way to describe Queen Beryl."

"That blasted furball actually had my friends and me believing that the Moon Kingdom was some kind of utopia. The only way I would feel more idiotic is if Genma had fooled me with one of his con jobs. As Wiseman himself noted why would a utopia need a living doomsday weapon like Sailor Saturn who can take out planets?" asked Usagi scowling.

"The story is that either this Sailor Saturn or Queen Serenity herself destroyed the Moon Kingdom to seal Queen Beryl in what is the Dark Kingdom."

"Wiseman mentioned that the Moon Kingdom story didn't fit what we knew about the solar system. He had two theories: either it was all an elaborate ruse by Sailor Pluto or the Moon Kingdom didn't exist in this universe."

"This universe?"

"Wiseman went to the local library and got about every book on the solar system that contained the relevant information he could find including a show that talked about a meteorite colliding with the moon in 1178." Usagi again winced. "Given the lack of air if there had been some advanced civilization on the Moon, Mars, or Mercury only 12,000 years ago something would still remain and yet nothing even hinting at such a solar system spanning civilization was evident in any of the material Wiseman and later Ami looked at. Then there was the culture aspect. Certainly anything on that scale would have left its influence in all the cultures of Earth. But, what do we have? One lone Greek scholar talking about Atlantis and that he firmly placed on Earth."

"Usagi!" yelled a girl running up her arms filled with books. "Your parents were calling everyone they knew to try and find you."

"Step away from her, Ami," said another female voice that Zoisite thought was identical to the girl with the books. "She isn't Usagi."

Everyone turned to see "Sailor Mercury? What the hell?" asked Ami.

"I need to learn more about ki reading because it is like she isn't even here," frowned Usagi taking a step back.

"I don't think it is you," responded a woman in a fine formal dress running up to the three females.

"What the hell?" asked Sailor Mercury taking a step back. "Mistress 9?!"

"I thought it would take you longer to get here from Mt. Fuji," said the voice of Pluto. "No matter this world is no longer yours," continued the voice as a hand grabbed Sailor Mercury's shoulder.

"AGGGHHH!" screamed Pluto as Mercury jumped forward and turned. "What the hell just happened? I should have been able to drain your life energy to where you weren't a threat," growled Pluto holding the wrist of her left hand.

Sailor Mercury stared at the person before her. "A youma dressed up as Sailor Pluto?"

"I _am_ Sailor Pluto you time traveling twit," glared Sailor Pluto. "This is my cold water form courtesy of Jusenkyo. Pool of Drowned Youma."

"Time to take a nap, Ami," said a voice right behind Sailor Mercury though Zoisite saw nothing there. Mercury spun around her leg coming up to hit the space when it stopped in mid air as if held by something. Then a purple robed figure appeared Mercury's leg being held in his right hand. "I have a bad feeling about this. If I'm wrong this should knock you out; but if I am right this is going to hurt like hell. Happōgojūensatsu hand grip variant!" An electric arc appeared on where the hand gripping the leg and the purple robed figure yelled "Kuso!" as he pushed up causing Mercury to land on her butt and jumped back.

"Wiseman, what happened?" asked Usagi causing Zoisite to realize that this was the mysterious man that had turned Beryl's battle with the remains of the Moon Kingdom upside down.

"Same thing that happened to Pluto," growled Wiseman. "Feedback. All ki draining has the same requirement—you have to create a small amount of ki opposite to the ki you intend to absorb. Happosai does this by making woman very mad at him creating a yang aura that he uses to absorb their yin ki. Youma and the variant of the old pervert's technique I just used both create very small amounts of death ki. Use it on someone who either has death ki or no life ki at all and you get the feedback you just saw. Mistress 9 has some of the later and always will even after she masters the techniques Ranma is teaching her. This Sailor Mercury has no more life ki then my counterparts in those worlds that might have been and I am sad to say for much the same reason."

Ami scowled dropping her books and pointing to Sailor Mercury. "Are you telling me she is nothing more than an animated corpse?"

"Yes and the only reason she hasn't decayed to bones as my counterparts did is due to the animating energy being yang rather than yin based."

Ami looked at Wiseman grim determination in her eyes. "When did you start to suspect?"

"When Sailor Nemesis saw this time period's Sailor Mercury. She saw a vibrant ki aura while the Sailor Senshi I saw with the exception of Neo-Queen Serenity and Pluto had none. I had thought it had been an improvement in the magic field until Neo-Queen Serenity indicated that she had brought back the Sailor Senshi after their final encounter with Beryl."

Wiseman seemed to tremble a bit. "I had hoped that I was wrong and that she had brought them back the same way I did my first wife. I now see that I was right and that the Sailor Senshi of my time are nothing more than corpses animated and preserved by the power of the Ginzuishou. Given Wicked Lady's aura I don't think the man she considers her father was alive when she was conceived either. In a real sense her father is the Ginzuishou itself."

Wiseman started to shake and Zoisite realized the man was crying. "Usagi, how the hell do I explain that? How do I explain to Wicked Lady that the man she regards as her father is nothing more than a corpse animated by the very stone she is carrying around? How do I explain that or this," pointing to Sailor Mercury, "to her without making her mother sound like an inhuman monster?"

"Actually that last part should be without making mother sound like an incompetent, bumbling, moronic idiot on par with your own father," said the voice of Wicked Lady as Sailor Mercury found herself with her right arm pulled behind her back and another arm around her throat.

Zoisite watched as Wicked Lady appeared out of thin air. "Hello, Aunt Mercury. Did you really think Pluto came here alone? After what she told me and we picked you up I thought I better come along."

"What she told you?" asked Wiseman clearly curious.

"Pluto brought back a full cask of the pool she used on herself. Problem is Usagi got some on her self by stumbling into the cask."

Wiseman put his hand to his head as he started to laugh. "Oh this is just rich. Neo-Queen Serenity is going to go totally ape shit when she finds out." Wiseman stopped laughing and removed his hood.

Sailor Mercury stopped struggling and frowned. "Saotome Ranma."

"That was the name I was born with. But these days I am known as Wiseman."

"I have a better name: foul mouthed womanizing jerk. Fire soul!" yelled Sailor Mars jumping out from some bushes and firing her attack at Wiseman

Wiseman simply gestured and the attack seemed to hit a barrier a foot from him. "It wasn't my fault that Pops used promises of marriage as a get himself out of debt card or that two other girls had fixations on me. Nor was it my fault that thanks to Pops I had all the social and emotional development of a brain damaged swamp rat to deal with the mess."

"You were a foul mouthed womanizing jerk leading girls along around like some real life Casanova uncaring of their feelings."

Zoisite watched as a red aura formed around Wiseman. "How dare you!" Wiseman bellowed. "Rei, where the hell do you come off thinking either your miko training or Sailor power gives you any insight on how I regarded the feelings of the girls chasing me?"

Sailor Mars scowled. "You called me Rei."

"You called me Saotome Ranma so it is only fair I call you by _your_ real name," responded Wiseman folding his arms. "At least I had enough sense not to use your full real name, Rei."

"I want to know one thing, Rei," yelled Usagi tears running down her face. "How could you of all people have missed this?"

Sailor Mars took a step back. "Mars, don't that isn't Usagi. That is a youma that has taken her form," said Mercury.

Usagi looked at Mars and Mercury realization in her eyes. "You knew. You both knew." Usagi then scowled. "Pluto just explained what happened and you still think this some elaborate plan by Queen Beryl? Just what kind of paranoid overly secretive nutjobs _are_ we in your future? You want proof, fine I'll give you proof!" fumed Usagi pulling out a compact.

"Usagi, calm down. Don't do something on par with Pops," said Wiseman.

"Moon prism power make up!"

Everyone stared as the enraged girl when through a very short transformation and landing in the form of Sailor Moon. "How about for my next trick I Moon Heal Escalate your sorry undead butt all over this school yard?" yelled Usagi pointing at Mercury. "Moon Healing Escalation!"

Sailor Mercury barely had time to register not being held when the attack hit her knocking her clean into the ground. Sailor Mercury shook her head and brought down her visor.

Usagi then turned to the uncertain Sailor Mars. "Rei, you and Ami better have a good explanation for this or so help me I am going to start using you two for target practice."

"Mars, despite what it appears that _thing_ is not Usagi," said Mercury. "That was no magical transformation but rather a youma one. Her so called Moon Healing Escalation was nothing more than a modified ki blast."

"I don't believe I am hearing this!" screamed Usagi. "How would I even know what the transformation phrase was or what the sequence looked like?!"

"From Wiseman because he is the reincarnation of the original Sailor Pluto," said Mercury slowly standing.

"I kind of babbled that before I threw them a week foreword in time," admitted Pluto.

Usagi looked at Pluto in shock as a hand gently came down on her shoulder. Turning she looked into the face of Sailor Jupiter. "Mako-chan, it's me, it's Usagi. We first met when three boys tried to shake me down when I ran into one late from school and you pounded them silly," said Usagi clearly nervous.

Sailor Jupiter smiled. "You don't need to prove who you are to me, Usagi." Sailor Jupiter looked at Sailor Mercury.

"She can't be Sailor Moon because there is Sailor Moon," proclaimed Mercury pointing.

Everyone turned and Wiseman groaned. "Let me guess, the little demonic furball convinced you to come here."

Luna bristled. "I am not a little demonic furball," she retorted. Luna then looked at Usagi, back at Sailor Moon, and finally Wiseman. "Ok, Oh Great Wiseman, care to explain this mess? I thought she," continued Luna gesturing to Sailor Moon with a nod of her head, "was the power so how was Usagi able to become Sailor Moon?"

"Strictly speaking she wasn't," said Wiseman. "She used her newly acquired second Jusenkyo form and some ki knowledge to duplicate her powers."

"Second Jusenkyo form? What pool?" asked Luna dreading the answer.

"Pool of Drowned Youma," smiled Pluto as her fingernail grew to three times their normal length.

"Of course, what else could it have been but the one pool most likely to screw things up more than they were already?" commented Luna sarcastically.

"That is the most logical assumption," commented Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon, there are six youma and one Shitennou here. You need to fight them," said Luna leaping from Sailor Moon's arms.

Sailor Moon cocked her head to one side. "Fight them without knowing their intentions, strength, weaknesses or even over all plans? That would be reckless at best and disastrous at worse. I defer to Wiseman with regards to this conflict."

Sailor Mars, Mercury, and Luna all stared at Sailor Moon in shock while Zoisite and his six youma stood waiting to see what Wiseman would do next.

"'One who knows when he can fight, and when he cannot fight, will be victorious; one who knows how to use both large and small forces will be victorious; one who knows how to unite upper and lower ranks in purpose will be victorious; one who is prepared and waits for the unprepared will be victorious; one whose general is able and is not interfered by the ruler will be victorious. These five factors are the way to know who will win.' So says Sun Tzu," said Wiseman his face an emotionless mask. "You are two against various opponents who are united in your defeat. You clearly were unprepared for this encounter. Even your ranks are divided. Tell me, are you ignorant of knowing when you cannot fight as well?"

Mars circled around and grabbed Mercury. "This isn't over, Ranma," she said retreating from the grounds.

Wiseman simply watched Sailors Mars and Mercury leave the grounds. "Sailor Jupiter, perhaps you could explain to the Shitennou and some six youma present why you did not go after them," he said calmly.

"'Those skilled in warfare move the enemy, and are not moved by the enemy.' so says Sun Tzu," said Jupiter her eyes darting all over the school grounds.

Wiseman nodded. "Very good, student."

Wiseman then turned to face Zoisite his face still unreadable. "Tell me truthfully, Zoisite, do you really think you can win?"

"Against you?' Zoisite snorted. "Kunzite and I had this little talk before we came here. It is obvious who is the future and who belongs to the dead past. It is clear by the number of youma she is sending that Beryl has given up any plans of conquering this world and is more interested in securing her position of power, such as it is."

"Given up?" chuckled Wiseman. "No, people like Queen Beryl do not give up."

"She will have no choice," said Zoisite and he knelt on one leg. "My services and the youma I lead are yours to command, Wiseman."

Wiseman swayed. "Wiseman?" asked Usagi looking at the robed figure.

"No, it is the other Wiseman is the one you should be pledging yourself because he will greater then I. Besides I have pushed myself too far and am not going to be much use to anyone for a while," said a tired voice. "Should be up and about in a couple of days, I think. Night all."

Suddenly there was a huge crash as if a heavy weight had fallen followed by Wiseman himself collapsing.

Wiseman!" yelled Usagi running to the figure that Sailor Jupiter had caught before it had hit the ground.

Zoisite was up and running to Wiseman a great many thoughts in his head. The life energy Wiseman was putting out was insane and yet he said there was _another_ Wiseman who would be even greater then himself.

He had originally thought that the reason was looking for a successor was that he was dying but the conversation he had just heard implied something else. As crazy as the idea that Wiseman was from the future was it would explain a lot of things; it would also mean that Saotome Ranma wasn't Wiseman's successor but literally was Wiseman as he once had been. As he came on the figure of Wiseman he saw a vest that had cracked the concrete where it had hit.

Sailor Jupiter seeing that Usagi's efforts to shake Wiseman awake weren't working tried to slap him and got a surprise. Wiseman's hand came up and deflected her own. "I'll wake up when I am good and ready, Pops," said Wiseman still asleep.

"Forgot his moronic father attacked him in his sleep," grumbled Sailor Jupiter.

"He's exhausted," said Mistress 9. "He hasn't slept since he got here and the speed things have been moving at have pushed him to his emotional limits."

"'When weapons are blunted, and ardor dampened, strength exhausted, and resources depleted, the neighboring rulers will take advantage of these complications." So says Sun Tzu," said the asleep Wiseman.

"Even asleep he quotes Sun Tzu," said Sailor Jupiter clearly awed by this.

"We need Wiseman awake," said Usagi as her own face slapping attempts were deflected.

"Pops, am I going to have put you in the koi pond again?" asked Wiseman.

Ami frowned. "Didn't Wiseman say something about an Incense that allowed you to fight while asleep?"

"Yes," replied Sailor Jupiter. "I get it. Wiseman trained himself to be able to do this _without_ the Incense."

"That's my guess," said Ami. "That means the more force we use the more Wiseman will react."

"Then how do we wake him up?" asked Usagi.

"We don't," said Mistress 9. "We get him back to the Tendo Dojo and let him wake up on his own. Don't forget we don't have just _one_ Wiseman."

"Ranma doesn't have his experience," protested Sailor Moon.

"True, but Ranma has one thing Wiseman admitted he had lost—spontaneity and this Wiseman even stated that Ranma will become great then even him," said Wicked Lady causing Zoisite to arch an eyebrow.

"Speaking of Ranma wonder if his day has been this messed up," commented Usagi.

~*~*RS*~*~

Kunzite had quickly spotted Ranma walking along the fence in his black version of Wiseman's purple robes his hood down. "He has such strong life energy," commented one of the youma.

"The females walking along him have strong life energy levels as well though nowhere as near as strong as his. Even the weaker of the two is good breading material thought there is something mixed in the stronger female that is not human or youma," commented another.

"Oh there is another human with strong energy," said a third youma pointing to a young man waving a stick.

"I, the Blue Thunder, shall defeat you evil sorcerer Saotome and free my two loves," stated the young man causing the youma to just stare.

"Kuno, as bad as Sailor Moon's inane speeches are yours are worse," Ranma said looking at the boy. "As least I know the horrid speeches aren't inheritable."

"Have at you," said Kuno waving his stick around…and slamming right into the fence as Ranma leaped over the first round of strikes.

Ranma then calmly stepped on the stunned Kuno's head knocking the man into the ground as he used him as a step. "Wonder how much that either made or cost your sister, Akane."

"If it cost her anything you will likely be the first to hear about it," said the smaller female.

Ranma then turned to the taller female. "Any progress, Herb-san?"

"It is so frustrating. I can fell the power of the transformation but I can't unlock the Pail of Preservation."

"It was a long shot. I'll help you get the Kettle of Liberation as I think you will likely want to pound your two retainers long before you get to your destination. Anytime those two see breasts they turn into two boobs," chuckled Ranma.

Akane groaned. "Ranma, if you make bad puns like that on the trip he is likely going to want to hurt _you_."

Herb chuckled. "He does have a point about my retainers."

Then Ranma changed into a female figure. "Don't you mean _she_ has a point?"

Herb laughed and Ranma returned to his birth form. "Your friend has offered something no one ever thought possible: control over Jusenkyo."

"I, the Blue Thunder, shall control the lusts of the evil sorcerer," proclaimed Kuno.

"Guess I didn't step on him hard enough," commented Ranma he dodged Kuno's attacks and a pale sparking ball appeared in his hand. "Hey, Blue Thunder, meet Supreme Thunder," laughed Ranma throwing the little ball at Kuno who promptly got zapped by lightning.

"I fight on," proclaimed Kuno his hair sticking straight up as he continued to wave his stick around in a pathetic attempt to hit Ranma.

"Such a burning soul," grinned Ranma as a blue ball formed in his hand. "Try to cool off with a little Shine Aqua Illusion."

Kuno plowed into the wall of ice that formed and then fell down.

Ranma simply shook his head. "Well that takes care of one annoyance."

"ARRRGGGHHH! Kill the pervert!" screamed many female voices

"What a haul. What a haul."

"MOOO!"

"Unfortunately there is no shortage of others," scowled Ranma.

Kunzite watched as a small human carrying a bag bigger then himself was laughing as he ran away from a mob of enraged human females and what had to be the weirdest male youma Kunzite had ever saw.

"Kunzite," said Quantize, "the small human is the one I told you about. He lives off human life energy just like we do."

"I don't recognize that male youma."

"Whatever that is, it is _not_ a youma," said Quantize frowning. "The life energy is all wrong."

"If that isn't a youma then what is it?"

"When I followed Ranma a girl was knocked into the canal and changed into a cat. Ranma's father changed into a panda and waved a sign about a cure but Wiseman said there was no cure only control and called it a Jusenkyo curse."

"Sweeto," yelled the little man leaping at Herb and grabbed his breasts.

"DIE!" screamed Herb as the little man leaped away.

"Herb, don't," said Ranma extending his arm. "As long as you are in female form he can feed off your energy."

Herb looked at Ranma. "I cannot let this affront to my person remained unchallenged."

"I understand as he has groped my female form a lot until the yin ki I absorbed from the Jakokusuishou made it impractical. But we have no plan on how to deal with him and rushing around trying to pound the little Pervert like the women and Taro are would only play into his hands."

Herb nodded clearly not happy with the situation.

Suddenly a youma appeared with deep green skin dressed like one of the Sailor Senshi. "Mother, your olderself pushed himself too hard and collapsed into a deep sleep."

Ranma sighed. "I was wondering why I never saw my futureself sleeping."

"We found out the Sailor Senshi of Neo-Queen Serenity's time are not alive. They are nothing more than well preserved corpses animated by the power of the Ginzuishou."

Ranma looked at the youma depressed like a Sailor Sensei frowning. "Pluto, is Neo-Queen Serenity still alive?"

"I don't know and we have other problems." Pluto winced. "I think how Wicked Lady came here may have damaged the Time Gates of her time. There seems to be some sort of temporal overlap with another history and it is _not_ accidental."

Suddenly two figures appeared. One looked like Crimson Rubeus while the other a figure in purple hovering over the ground appeared a black globe between two multi colored hands.

"Crap, I was afraid this would happen," said Pluto as her hand grabbed the hovering figure. Pluto then screamed. "Shit, he's like Sailor Mercury. No life ki at all," she said holding her wrist.

"Just what I didn't need, one of the lesser Wisemen of Nemesis," said Ranma narrowing his eyes.

"Lesser Wisemen of Nemesis?" asked the floating figure clearly annoyed. "Who are you to make such a statement?"

Ranma smiled. "The Wiseman among Wisemen!" he exclaimed plowing into the floating figure ripping its hood off revealing a skull with two red lights where the eyes had been in life. Pluto had meanwhile grabbed and ki drained Crimson Rubeus.

"What… what in the world is that?!" asked Herb pointing to the robed skeleton.

"That," said Ranma scowling, "is what anyone else who gains the Jakokusuishou eventually becomes. I am the only person who can tap into the life extending properties of the Jakokusuishou. Everyone else becomes this _thing_—a walking talking corpse bent on either the death of Neo Queen Serenity and-or every living thing on Earth."

"Since this thing is already dead I don't need to hold back," said Ranma as he kicked the other Wiseman in the chest causing sound of breaking bones to be heard across the school and causing the figure to fly into a wall with another sickening crack. The figure then slowly pulled itself out of the wall.

"Kuso, that didn't work too well," scowled Ranma.

"I am Wiseman!" hissed the figure

"Problem is so am I! Death Scream!" said Ranma.

The skeletal Wiseman slammed back into the wall and fell to the ground.

"Sailor Sensei attack but the Jakokusuishou's energy. I don't understand," said the figure as it struggled to stand.

"Reincarnation of the original Sailor Pluto, Bonyman," said Ranma approaching the figure as Kuno woke up and looked in the direction of battle.

"No it can't end like this," said the skeletal Wiseman. "I was deprived of defeating the evil sorcerer Saotome, I will not be deprived of defeating the witch Neo-Queen Serenity who turned my loves the pigtailed girl and Akane into vacant soulless things."

"No, this cannot be," said Kuno advancing on the two Wisemen.

The skeletal Wiseman looked at Kuno and laughed. "Begone you illusion. The days of the Shooting Star and Blue Thunder are long gone. Only Wiseman remains." The skeletal Wiseman finally stood and looked Kuno in the eyes.

Kuno took a step back. "What manner of evil sorcerery is this?"

"This is what may have been if you rather than I had obtained the Jakokusuishou," said Ranma pulling out the crystal.

"No!" hissed the skeletal Wiseman as it lunged at Ranma. "_I_ am Wiseman. _I_ control the Jakokusuishou and I will use it to free my loves even if I have to kill everyone else on Earth and Nemesis to do it."

"Begone evil future!" yelled Kuno hitting the skeleton.

"Ranma, throw that thing through the Time Gates," said Pluto.

"Glad to," said Ranma as he grabbed the other Wiseman and threw him into the portal Pluto had opened up.

"Why let that monstrosity escape?" asked Kuno as Ranma grabbed his shoulder.

"There is no escape for him or the other undead Wisemen," said Pluto as the Time Gates closed.

Ranma looked at the crystal in his hand and frowned. "She's right. He will lose against Neo-Queen Serenity though his actions will make her realize the mistake she made and will spawn other futures where the mistake is never made in the first place."

"He has a role to play in _his_ world," said Pluto.

"That little piece of insanity your futureself's idea?" asked Ranma.

"Yes but I am uncertain as to which one."

"Can't you shut that thing down so we don't get more of those?" asked Akane.

"As long as the Neo-Queen Serenity from the future where I became Wiseman is here, no she can't," said Ranma looking at the closed Time Gates.

"The Blue Thunder finally understands," said Kuno. "This Neo-Queen Serenity clouded my judgment to see the one person who would save me from a fate as that thing as an enemy."

"I afraid it is not that simple." Ranma then put the crystal away.

"No, it isn't. Wiseman was right. This is not the universe of the Moon Kingdom," said Pluto frowning. "The thing is the Moon cats and I went to asleep in _our_ universe."

"Leaving the very nasty question of who or what moved you all to this universe and better yet why?"

~*~*RS*~*~


	9. Chap 09 Role Reversal

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 9 – Role Reversal

Green Esmeraude was sitting in the dojo frowning.

"Worried about Wiseman?" asked Akane.

Green Esmeraude looked at Akane. "I can see by his aura that he simply pushed himself too far and will be fine once he wakes up. My concern is my ancestor Nabiki."

"Worried that she might start selling the fact Wiseman is out cold?" asked Ranma.

"My sister isn't _that_ money grubbing," retorted Akane.

Green Esmeraude gave a soft chuckle. "If you truly believe that you don't know her very well. Nabiki was trying to get the stones we use for martial arts gem cutting the moment she found out they were valuable. The only real barrier to that goal was a Ranma that had 1,000 years worth of worldly wisdom under his belt and now for how ever long that barrier has been temporarily removed."

"With all respect, by beloved Akane, my descendent speaks truly," said Kuno. "Your sister was not above providing pictures of you and the pig tailed girl. Pictures that I now know to be have taken without either of their knowledge or permission."

Akane looked at Kuno like he had grown another head. "Who are you, and what have you done with the real Kuno?"

Kuno chuckled. "The Blue Thunder feels as if he is a blind man finally allowed to see. This has all been a long drawn out plan with us nothing but unwitting players in someone else's drama."

"The problem is we have no idea on who the director or scriptwriter is," commented Perz.

"I disagree," said Sailor Moon. "We should be able to form some idea on who or what is behind the Sailor Senshi being moved to this universe."

"This is insane!" exploded Luna. "There is no other universe. This is the future of the Moon Kingdom."

Sailor Pluto shook her head. "No, Luna, everything shows that the Moon Kingdom _never_ existed in _this_ reality."

"I can't believe I am hearing this!" screeched the Moon Cat.

"Luna, what exactly can you remember about the final battle of the Moon Kingdom?" asked Pluto.

"The cryogenic sleep I went through left my mind a Swiss cheese," countered Luna.

"Meaning you can't remember any details. Problem is neither can I," responded Pluto. "Convenient isn't it?"

"Convenient is not the word I would use," commented Ranma.

Pluto looked at the youma Usagi had befriended. "Zirconite, are they any stories about the fall of the Moon Kingdom and why the solar system is the way it is?"

Zirconite nodded. "There are many stories. Some have the condition that the solar system is in now the fault of Queen Beryl, while others say it was Sailor Saturn under orders of Queen Serenity, and still others say it was Queen Serenity herself."

"The idea that Queen Beryl is responsible we can throw out," said Pluto. "She was Queen of Earth and since everyone expected an attack from _outside_ the solar system the majority of support troops were beyond the orbit of Nemesis. Even at the speed of light it is 12 hours between Nemesis to Earth at their closet so it would be 12 hours before they would even know there was a problem through conventional means. Even through Ranma's future self is using the Time Gates to communicate with his Nemesis it is still taking a minimum of nearly at day for any response to anything he or his automated systems send them to come back."

"What I remember of my life as the original Sailor Pluto not even Death Born Revolution would account for the current state of the planets," said Ranma. "Neither would any of the powers Queen Serenity had at her disposal."

"Even the stories about _when_ the Moon Kingdom fell conflict," said Zirconite. "Some have it falling only 1,000 years ago."

"There is no way those stories could be true," said Ami. "While European history of the ninth century largely a fragmented mess the same is not true of Chinese or even Japanese history of the same time period. There is simply no way to fit the Moon Kingdom into recorded history."

"Wiseman said it was hard to accept the Moon Kingdom existing in prehistory as well," said Usagi.

Ranma nodded. "Wiseman said if the Moon Kingdom did exist there should be aspects woven through out the myths and legends and the best he could find was one obscure story from some Greek egghead and he clearly put the kingdom of Atlantis on Earth."

"Only you could call Plato a Greek egghead," chuckled Ami. "But Ranma is right. In fact, Joseph Campbell showed that the myths of the world fit into standard archetypes rather than coming from a common origin."

"But the Greek and Roman gods…" began Luna.

"Take a good hard look at those gods and see how poorly they fit into the roles of the Sailor Senshi," interrupted Ami. "Pluto was ruler of the underworld and Hermes guided souls to the underworld while Saturn was the former ruler of the Titan pantheon whose rule in Rome was called the Golden Age. Also it was Jupiter not Diana who ruled over the Olympians. Then you have the fact that the sun is also present not only in those religions but also around the world: Ra and Aten for the Egyptians, Helios Apollo for the Greeks and Romans, Tonatiuh for the Aztecs, Vedas and Savitr for the ancient Hindus, and even the Japanese have Amaterasu Omikami. Also notice that in the case of the Egyptians and Japanese those sun gods are the supreme god of the whole pantheon."

Ami leaned forward scowling at Luna. "I spent hours looking though the Mercury computer database for any Sailor Senshi connected with the sun and found nothing. So the idea that the deities of various mythologies are somehow dimly remembered Sailor Senshi does not work, Luna. Occam's Razor points to the idea that the Moon Kingdom was in another universe as being the correct one."

"Ami's right," said Pluto. "Trying to fit the Moon Kingdom anywhere in this world's history just doesn't work. Of course I have the ultimate cheat sheet." Pluto snapped her fingers and a pair of dull gray metal doors appeared.

"Time Gates, observer mode. Show us the Mare Serenitatis of this Earth's Moon 13,000 years ago," said Pluto.

The closed doors of the Time Gates fogged over and an image of a desolate moon landscape appeared.

"No, it can't be," said Luna. "I was there. Mare Serenitatis was where the Crystal Palace stood."

"I've seen something like this before," said Ami slowly standing.

"Sure, the pictures the Apollo astronauts took," said Usagi.

"No, I mean the way the Time Gates show the past. Only it wasn't a pair of doors but an irregular piece of stone with a hole in it and fog in the hole. And…I think whatever I am remembering spoke."

"Do you remember what it said?" asked Ranma.

Ami frowned. "Only what it called itself: the Guardian of Forever."

Ranma looked at the Time Gates. "Guardian of Forever? Sounds like a way to describe Pluto rather than the Time Gates themselves. But this proves that the Moon Kingdom does not belong to _this_ universe, _this_ history."

"The Moon Kingdom is not a lie!" shouted Luna.

Pluto rolled her eyes sighing. "Time Gates, show us Mare Serenitatis of the Moon Kingdom I belonged to 13,000 years ago."

Everyone watched as the image shifted to a beautiful palace surrounded by lush gardens.

"That is the palace I remember!" shouted Luna.

"Time Gates, vertical split screen effect. Show Mare Serenitatis of both this Earth's Moon and the Moon Kingdom I belonged to 13,000 years ago with the later on viewer's right."

Everyone saw both images now with a sharp line right down the middle. Even the sky was different. "That should end that," said Pluto.

"What about the fall and what happened afterward?" asked Luna in shock.

"I think I can guess on that," said Ranma folding his arms. "You can't see anything."

"From 5 years before the fall to the fall itself is totally blank." Pluto then shivered. "It is what I get after the fall that scares me. Time Gates, show us Mare Serenitatis of the Moon Kingdom I belonged to 11,000 years ago."

The Time Gates went totally grey and then black with a read out in white.

"'Unable to comply, Data in error?' what does that mean?" asked Makoto.

"Quite literally it means there is no Mare Serenitatis of the Moon Kingdom 11,000 years ago to show us," said Ranma his face pale.

Ami frowned in thought. "Pluto, this can show us this world's past, correct?"

"Yes, but I don't see what good that does us," responded Pluto.

"Is there a way to have the Time Gates respond directly to one of us?" asked Ami.

Pluto nodded. "Time Gates, Ami wants to do a dynastic check. Comply, authorization Sailor Pluto."

'Authorization accepted, proceed,' said the letters on the black background.

"Time Gates, show us Istanbul of this Earth in 1300 CE."

'Unable to comply, Data in error,' responded the Time Gates

Ami nodded. "Time Gates, show us the Washington DC of this Earth 1780."

'Unable to comply, Data in error,' responded the Time Gates.

Ami smiled grimly. "Time Gates, show us the Tokyo, Japan of this Earth 1860."

'Unable to comply, Data in error,' responded the Time Gates.

"I knew it, the blasted things are broken!" shouted Luna.

"No, they are working perfectly," said Ami. "Time Gates, show us the _Edo_, Japan of this Earth 1860."

Ami nodded as an image appeared. "Edo wasn't renamed Tokyo until 1868. Istanbul didn't get that name until the mid fifteenth century, and Washington DC wasn't even founded until 1790." Ami looked at the Time gates. "Two more tests should confirm my theory. "Time Gates, show us the Rome of the Western Roman Empire of this Earth 800 CE."

'Unable to comply, Data in error,' responded the Time Gates.

Ami nodded. "Just as I thought. While there was a Rome in 800 CE there was no Western Roman Empire of this Earth in 800 CE."

"Time Gates, show us Mare Serenitatis of what was once the Moon Kingdom that Sailor Pluto once belonged to, present time," said Ami.

An image of a once grand palace looking like a bombed out shell appeared. In front were similar gardens that had a simple plain obelisk in their center.

"It has been turned into a memorial," said Pluto as she sighed. "Time Gates, end dynastic check, return to standby status." The Time Gates returned to being two grey doors.

"Now we have that out of the way we still have a host of problems to deal with," said Ranma. "Given what Wiseman said about Akane and his handling of New-Queen Serenity I am not going to make the mistake he did of assuming I can handle this mess on my own. We need more information." Ranma looked at Zoisite. "Beginning with who the guy with the six other youma watching me and the antics of the Pervert that is the grandmaster of my Ryu at the school I go to is."

Zoisite nodded. "That would be Kunzite. Barring Beryl releasing Jadeite from the crystal prison she put him in, he would be her last Shitennou. He is the highest ranking one and despite the clear indications that this war is a lost cause thanks to Wiseman will likely remain loyal to Beryl."

Ranma shook his head. "Beryl's war was a lost cause even before Wiseman showed up. The average human may not be up to the level the first and higher Dan martial artists represented here have but they have technology to make up for it. She might have been able to establish a quick foot hold but the enviable outcome would have been her defeat for as strong as the youma are I doubt they are any match to the guns, tanks, planes, bombs and other weapons the millions who are in the various armies of the nations of the world have to fight with. Even I am not confidant that I could literally take on the whole world."

"As near I can tell it was the actions of Snow Queen Kaguya and Pharaoh 90 that allowed my mother to take over the world," said Wicked Lady.

Prince Demando nodded. "That fits in with what we know of Earth history. In times of distress or confusion people are susceptible to those who have answer to their ills-especially if it is a quick solution. With 90 percent of the world's pollution wiped out things would have been in total chaos."

"With all respect to our sensei I think all the small scale stuff prevented him from forming any kind of ultimate goal," said Saphir frowning.

Ranma sighed. "Well let's work on a plan."

"Of course…Wiseman," grinned Green Esmeraude earning her a harsh look from Ranma

~*~*RS*~*~

As a new day dawned a purple robed figure flew out of the Tendo guest room window hitting the koi pond and changing from a man into a woman. As the now female figure sputtered a panda leapt from windows right at the figure…and slammed right into the kio pond.

"Pops, you are about 1,000 years too late for this," said Wiseman.

The panda narrowed its eyes and swung its paw…only to again encounter empty air.

"Genma, have you lost what remains of your mind?" yelled Nodoka as she leapt from the second story window, did a somersault, and kicked the panda in the face.

'Someone has to keep the boy from slacking off,' said the sign the panda pulled out.

"You call collapsing from exhaustion slaking off?!" glared Nodoka a blue aura forming around her. "Kachū Tenshin Amaguriken!" she yelled punching the panda in the face repeatable.

'Oh look at all the pretty stars,' said the next sign as the panda fell over backward.

"Just when I thought I thought my husband couldn't do anything dumber he pulls something like this," said Nodoka her blue aura turning red.

"Calm down, Mom. Emotional ki should be used sparingly. Otherwise it causes…problems."

"WHERE AM I NOW?" yelled a familiar voice.

Wiseman sighed. "You are in the Tendo's back yard yelling your fool head off, Ryoga. Was wondering when you were going to finally show up."

Ryoga turned and scowled. "Your disguise doesn't fool me, Ranma. Prepare to die!" yell the lost boy swinging his umbrella at Wiseman

Between the lost boy and Wiseman a woman of pure black crystal in a dress made of the same material emerged from the ground and caught the umbrella in one hand. "I think that is enough of that," she said.

"Jakoku, that wasn't necessary. Even in my current condition I am perfectly able to handle Ryoga," said Wiseman.

"Ranma, who is this?" asked Nodoka.

"The Jakokusuishou always had intelligence but centuries of using it to help Sa Fulang to ascend and ki training caused it to develop a personality. I call her Jakoku."

"How dare you cheat on Akane!" ranted the lost boy as he tried to free his umbrella.

Jakoku scowled. "In a sense I _am_ Akane, as well as Kě Lún, Sa Fulang and everyone else Wiseman has been emotionally close to over the last 1,000 years. Why don't you take a nap," Jakoku said as she grabbed Ryoga's wrist. "Happōgojūensatsu hand grip variant!" Jakoku then blinked when nothing happened.

"Forgot that you can't transfer ki when you do this little trick didn't you?" asked Wiseman

"I hate having memories of things I can't do when I am like this," grumbled Jakoku as her dress flowed into her crystal body. "Well there is always plan B," she said as she glomped Ryoga.

Wiseman shook his head as Ryoga continued to struggle against Jakoku. "You are essentially living statue in that form."

Jakoku again grumbled as her crystal body changed color taking on flesh tones. This seemed to be close enough to cause a nosebleed followed by one out cold lost boy.

"If that didn't work, I did have a plan C," grinned Jakoku. She then looked at Wiseman. "Now that those two distractions are out of the way you are going to be reasonable about this. As your inspiration said 'The strong will arrive first, the weak will lag behind, and as a rule, only one-tenth will arrive.' You had already decided to let Ranma do some more of the training but I know you are going to over do it again. That is not acceptable."

"It is just there is so much to do," said Wiseman.

Jakoku narrowed her crystal eyes. "Is it just that?"

Wiseman slumped. "No, there is more. I realize that I have lost the spontaneity that made me the greatest martial artist of my generation. Part of it was due to the fact that my life was effectively multiple train wreck of the week."

"So you are trying to duplicate that by taking on just a little more than you can handle in terms of training," said Jakoku rolling her eyes. "There are some things about you that haven't changed over the last millennium and in some cases that is _not_ a good thing."

Wiseman sighed. "Ok, it was not one of my better plans but I needed something against Neo-Queen Serenity. Do you seriously think given the changes I have made to the Sailor Senshi she is going to be happy with just _our_ world? Given what happened at the school I am worried that she may want to "fix" this Earth as well."

"Even if she knows that her Sailor Senshi are nothing more than that abomination your youngerself fought earlier today?" asked the voice of Usagi.

"What? What abomination are you talking about?" asked Wiseman turning.

"A servant of the bewitched Neo-Queen Serenity sent us a glimpse of what the Blue Thunder would have been if he had tried to become Wiseman," said Kuno emerging from the dojo. "It appears I owe you an apology and my thanks, Ranma."

"You…you actually saw one of the other Wisemen?"

"Saw, fought, and helped sent home," responded Ranma also emerging from the dojo. "My concern is was it a warning or a distraction."

"This is troubling news," said Wiseman. "We have enough problems with _one_ Neo-Queen Serenity, we don't need others and their related Wisemen popping up."

"Your youngerself says he thinks there is someone behind the corruption of Neo-Queen Serenity and the appearance of her enemies," said Kuno

Wiseman turned his face to Ranma and removed his hood. "I thought that too but Sailor Pluto couldn't…"

"Not Sailor Pluto," interrupted Ranma. "Whoever or whatever survived the fall of the Moon Kingdom is likely behind this. While you were recovering we were able to compare notes. The magic energy you wield is very similar to that of both Metaria and Pharaoh 90 but also different. Ami finally found out why. Somehow for whatever reason Queen Serenity tried to use the Ginzuishou to generate yin ki."

Wiseman just stared at his youngerself for a moment before exploding. "That is more idiotic than anything Pops could come up with! There is no telling what _forcing_ the Ginzuishou produce a ki aspect totally opposite to its very nature would do!"

Jakoku nodded in thought. "It would explain why my internal records of the period around the fall of the Moon Kingdom for five years in both directions are missing."

"Pluto's memories of the fall are a vague mess, Luna can't really remember squat, and the Time Gates can't see within 5 years of the event," scowled Ranma. "Anyone but me seeing a pattern here?"

Wiseman nodded. "Any evidence that whatever it is has been involved in our world recently?"

"Nothing, but given it is magic some 12,000 years old that doesn't mean anything," said Ranma.

"True, new magics may have been developed that the Mercury computer doesn't know," commented Wiseman. "Makes me wonder what Metaria and Pharaoh 90 _really_ are."

"Well regardless we have a new complication," said Ranma. "Seems that Zoisite and the youma under his command have decided help create the Black Moon Clan in the here and now with me in the role of Wiseman and Usagi as effective clan head in this time period."

Wiseman sighed rubbing his head. "Did they simply call you Wiseman or was it something more formal sounding?"

Ranma frowned. "Now that you mention it, it was more formal sounding. Saotome Ranma, Wiseman, Advisor to the Black Moon Clan of Earth was the exact term they used. Does it mean something?"

Wiseman nodded. "Oh yes but I want to explain it to everyone at once as this is very important to everyone."

Half an hour later everyone was in the Tendo dojo. "I just heard what has happened while I was out," said Wiseman, "and you need to know something of youma culture that predates Beryl by thousands of years and still exists on Nemesis."

Wiseman rubbed his chin in thought for a moment. "I think I should try to put this in terms even Pops can understand. Youma society was and still is totally centered around the clan. Each individual's actions reflected on the clan as a whole rising or lowering its station. The titles of shitennou, king, or queen are meaningless to youma unless they also acknowledge the title holder as clan head and that is _always_ something earned."

"The Blue Thunder thinks he understand," said Kuno. "It is much like the samurai clans but with the head being decided by merit rather than birth."

Wiseman nodded. "That is a very accurate description. An old youma saying that supposedly predates the Moon Kingdom sums it up quite well: a Clan Head leads the clan, an Advisor informs the clan, and a Guardian protects the clan. In some respects the position of Advisor can be more powerful and demanding than that of clan head as it is their duty to point out information that the clan head may be unaware of or forgotten and can therefore effect their decisions."

Wiseman looked at Usagi his eyes narrowing. "In youma society the worst punishment is to be declared clanless as it means declaring the youma in question has absolutely _no value_. Even humans only thought of as food have value. By declaring you effective clan head these youma have declared their old clans alliances to be subservient to the clan they have created with you as it head."

"So I am the leader of these youma as well as the Sailor Senshi," sighed Usagi rubbing her head. "What else of youma culture can you tell me that I need to know?"

"Usagi, you can't be serious about accepting!" shouted Luna.

Usagi glared at Luna. "Luna, in addition to Beryl and three enemies we don't know much about we got a version of me running around out there who wasn't above sending two of her Sailor Senshi to my school and turning into it into a war zone. I think if Pluto hadn't interfered Neo-Queen Serenity's Sailor Mercury would have used me for target practice."

"Given mom's past experiences with youma that is a fair bet," scowled Wicked Lady. Wicked Lady then sighed. "This may not be the best time to bring it up but…"

"It may come down to her or us?" finished Usagi. "Unless we can change her way of thinking we may have no other option than treating Neo-Queen Serenity in the same vein as Queen Beryl. I hope it doesn't come to that but we will have to prepare for it."

Usagi then changed her skin color to a bluish tinged chalk white as she looked at Luna. "Luna, take a good hard look at me and Pluto. We are like the Black Moon Clan of Nemesis in that we have one foot each in the world of humans and the world of youma. Despite what you think youma in of them selves are not evil; they have merely been trying to survive under the rule of what amounts to a narcissistic egomaniacal world conquering happy nutjob."

Usagi gestured forming a ball of blue ki in her hand. "The youma fed on humans because they didn't have any other way. Martial arts will give them an alternative and the Black Moon Clan of Nemesis shows that humans and youma can coexist peaceably. Ranma thanks to his father was no optimist and _he_ made it work so why can't we?"

Rei looked at her friend and chuckled. "This whole thing has really forced you to grow up, hasn't it? I guess I am going to have to stop calling you Meatball Head."

Usagi also chuckled. "You may have cause to still use that name, Rei. Unlike Ranma I am still an optimist and some of my ideas will likely be totally impractical or sound like they came from Genma."

Ami shook her head. "Usagi, please don't insult yourself like that. As bad as some of your impulses were you were never like Genma."

"Of course she is nothing like me," said Genma. "She is a weak girl."

**WHAM.** "Forgot about my ability to make solid ki objects didn't we, Pops?" asked Ranma holding the other end of a ki staff that had just hit Genma's head.

"Ami's right," said Rei. "At your worse you have never been _that_ stupid."

"Even when you consider that Neo-Queen Serenity is or rather was one of my futures?" responded Usagi.

"Perhaps it is that we know more than she did," commented Makoto.

Usagi nodded. "Perhaps, but back to things at hand I don't think we should use the name Black Moon Clan of Earth. It is way too long and causes confusion. Perhaps Grey Moon Clan is better suited because we are trying to be the middle ground between two extremes. Also we need to have an alternative name for me so to confuse Beryl and those still allied with her even more."

"Good points," said Wiseman. "What name did you have in mind?"

"Eclipse," said Usagi.

"Why Eclipse?" asked Rei. "It sounds well… dark."

"An eclipse happens when something gets in the way of the light right?" asked Usagi. "That is what effectively happened to Neo-Queen Serenity; she let her own views of what a utopia was get in the way of whatever light she thought she was bringing."

Ranma looked at the shitennou. "Zoisite, what resources can Beryl draw on and how many will actually work with her when they learn of the Grey Moon Clan?"

Zoisite straightened up slightly. "There are thousands of youma Beryl could call on and most of them belong to low ranking clans. However once they hear of the Grey Moon Clan many will quickly come to our side." Zoisite then winced. "As much Kunzite and I loved each other his loyalty to Queen Beryl is, I am afraid, unshakeable unless we are able to demonstrate beyond any doubt that Beryl's cause is a lost one."

Ami tapped her cheek in thought. "Would the records of the soldier casualties of the Second World War and current estimates of the standing armies of the three superpowers be enough?"

Zirconite and Zoisite scowled as Beryl had been very secretive about the number of solders on Earth relayed to her by Jedite. "It might," Zirconite said. "What kind of numbers are we looking at?"

"Between 20 and 25 million on both sides of the Second World War," Ami said. "China claims to have an army of 3 million, the USSR reports around 2 million with the US at 1.5 million. Given the secretive nature of USSR and China they could be inflating their numbers but I doubt it."

The six youma and Zoisite stared at Ami in shock. "Beryl is insane!" exploded Zoisite. "There is no way the Dark Kingdom could take on those kinds of numbers and win!"

"I agree that Beryl is insane," said Usagi, "but in the larger scope of things she is a minor problem. We can't lose sight of Pharaoh 90 and Princess Snow Kaguya who are the real threat. They will decimate this world's population if they are not checked."

"This Pharaoh 90 and Princess Snow Kaguya dare to threaten our food and potential mates?" snarled one youma causing Rei to wince. "Not if I can help it."

"Not if _we_ can help it, clan sister," said another youma.

"Clan sisters," said Zirconite holding up her hand, "our Advisor, Black Wiseman, was able to speed teach clan sister Pluto in something called ki generation. Once we all learn this we will no longer look at the humans as food but evaluate them as possible equals and therefore viable mates."

The youma started murmuring among themselves. "Please," said Ranma, "I only did it because Pluto was not ready for her status as a youma and was very hungry as a result. She nearly lost it with Usagi, I mean Eclipse, after she gave her some ki energy, and none of us wanted a replay of that."

"Black Wiseman was able to calm Pluto down before she did anything so no real harm done," said Zirconite.

"I'm beginning to understand a lot now," said an elderly voice.

"Elder Cologne," smiled Wiseman causing everyone to turn to three people standing at the entrance to the dojo.

"Oooo these three are strong," cooed a youma.

"Great-grandmother is that challenge?" asked Shampoo narrowing her eyes.

Wiseman chuckled. "No, Shampoo, that is an indication that this youma is interested in you three as potential mating material."

Shampoo looked at the youma and winced.

"Don't you think the Old Ghoul is a little old for that?" asked Mousse.

**WHAP** **ZAP**

"Blue Thunder believes that was wrong thing to call Elder," commented Kuno as he regarded the after effects of Mousse being smacked in the head and zapped.

"Any word from the village on this situation?" asked Ranma.

Cologne chuckled. "I am flattered that you believe that the Joketsuzoku have such communication methods but the reality is we must rely on more mundane methods." Cologne frowned. "I believe that what I relayed to my fellow Elders will be enough to convince them of the merits of allying with youma but there is still the possibility of civil war."

"Shampoo not understand."

"She means there are Elders who will desire to keep the status quo while others will see this as an opportunity to strengthen the Joketsuzoku," said Wiseman. "That conflict could spill into the village populous with each Elder enlisting the aid of supporters for their position. If not properly handled it could easily disintegrate into civil war."

"I am assuming the same thing is true of the youma and the Dark Kingdom," said Usagi frowning.

"Even more so," said Zirconite. "Queen Beryl's self proclamation as the ruler of the youma of the Dark Kingdom has never sat well with most of us. We only tolerated it because her boosted life energy and because she was respected and feared by the Shitennou who weren't so presumptuous. There was also the fact that until now there was no real alternative."

"Well now there is," said Usagi folding her arms.

~*~*RS*~*~

"Boss, are you sure we have no alternative?" asked a blond haired girl speaking into a compact her white haired cat looking on curiously.

"Minako, I know going to Nerima from Juubian district in Minato ward is a hassle for you but you are the only one of the Sailor Senshi I have direct communication with," replied a female voice. "I sense energy directly opposite to our own in that district and the Princess coming in regular contact with two powerful wielders of that power."

"So you are afraid that our enemies may have found the Princess and are trying to corrupt her," stated the white cat.

"That is one concern I have, Artemis," replied the voice. "Another is that up to now Queen Beryl was rapidly gathering human life energy to escape her prison of the Dark Kingdom but she seems to have stopped dead."

"Isn't that a good thing?" asked Artemis. "Shouldn't it mean she had been defeated or given up?"

"No as there is still limited transport between our dimension and the Dark Kingdom that could only come from Beryl," replied the voice. "That means she has only changed tactics, not that she has given up."

"Ok Boss, but this is still a large district," said Minako.

"I will guide you as best I can but as you know from England my resources are somewhat limited. To prevent confusion and misunderstanding in the future you can call me by my name rather than Boss all the time."

"I'd love to but you never told me your name," said Minako.

"Serenity, my name is Serenity," replied the voice.

Several days later, "Glad tomorrow isn't a school day," grumbled Minako again trekking though the Nerima district. "Though slow and steady saves face."

Artemis shook his head at Minako's mangling of yet another famous saying.

"Sweeto," yelled an elderly voice.

"ARRGGH!" responded a female voice. "DIE pervert!"

Minako and Artemis turned and watched as a little man about three foot tall carrying a bag bigger than himself ran away laughing from a woman trying her best to brain the little man with a fireplace poker.

"No Taro, don't," said another female. "He's not worth it."

Turning Minako and Artemis stared open mouthed at a couple. The male was a young man dressed in green silks but it was the woman that caught their attention. Her skin was a deep orange and there were two fly like wings out of her back.

"But he is the only one who can change my name, Orana," pleaded the young man.

"As I said before, Taro, you full name doesn't matter to me or my new clan," said Orana. "All that matters is how together we will be stronger then we were separately and the prestige we will bring to the clan." Orana then looked at the little man. "But then you are right that he should not be allowed to do as he pleases." Orana leapt into the sky her wings making a buzzing sound as the young man pulled out a canteen. He then poured a little of the contents on himself and morphed into a Minotaur like creature.

"MOOOO!" it yelled.

"Hey I recognize you," said the little man as he dodged both the woman trying to brain him and Orana. "You are one of those youma that left the Dark Kingdom."

The little man then dodged the tentacles Orana shot out at him.

"Moo!" said Taro in a warning tone.

"Don't worry, my love, I won't try to drain him," said Orana. "I don't want to experience what Pluto and Purple Wiseman did when they tried to drain Sailor Mercury."

Minako pulled out her transformation pen and started looking around for a place to duck into when a voice distracted her.

"Orana, what in the Dark Kingdom are you doing?" yelled a man in a grey uniform. "Beryl ordered us to stay low."

Orana paused for a moment to look at the man in uniform allowing the little man to escape and then scowled. "Foolish Kunzite, you serve one who is Queen in name only as she did nothing to _earn_ her position. The Grey Moon Clan's Queen Eclipse and her Advisor Black Wiseman will sweep Beryl and the remnants of the Moon Kingdom away and build an empire the likes this world has never seen."

"Wiseman? I thought he was part of the Black Moon Clan," responded Kunzite.

"You talk of Purple Wiseman. Our Black Wiseman will become greater. Our Grey Moon Clan will become greater. The Black Moon Clan has shown us the way but it will be the Grey Moon Clan that will reign triumphant."

"Moooo!"

Kunzite scowled. "You will pay for your betrayal," he said as he faded from view.

"Moo?"

"Don't worry my love. As the others see the true majesty of the Grey Moon Clan, Beryl will have less and less to work with," said Orana as a tentacle curled around her companion's waist.

"Moo," said Taro pointing down the street.

"I know but given his hunger he will be out and about again."

Taro nodded and pulling out another thermos changed back into a young man. Taro then grabbed Orana's hair and pulled her by it to him.

"Yes, my love, show me why I so love you," bubbled Orana. "Show me your strength. Show me your desire for more power."

"I'll show you more than that," grinned Taro. "But not here. I want somewhere a little more private," he said letting Orana's hair go.

The two then continued to go down the street like another other couple though their conversation was anything but normal. "You can tie me up if you want." "Sounds fun and you can do that really cute thing with your tongue."

Minako looked around and noticed people had returned to the streets as if nothing had happened.

"Sounds like we just landed in the middle of a power struggle between several enemies of the Moon Kingdom," commented Artemis. "But Beryl was the name of the human Queen who caused the fall of the Moon Kingdom some 12,000 years ago. There is no way she could still be alive."

"Actually there is a way," responded a voice right behind the two causing them both to jump.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," said the woman dressed in a variant of Sailor V's costume.

"I think… Sailor Pluto?" asked Artemis.

The woman smiled. "You remembered. Tell me, do you remember exactly how the last battle went?"

"No, but don't you?" replied Artemis.

"No, I don't and the Time Gates can't look into that time period either. It is as he said—too convenient," commented Pluto.

"Who said?" asked Minako.

"Hmm? Oh Black Wiseman," replied Pluto clearly deep in thought.

Artemis' eyes widened as he took a tentative step backward. "Black Wiseman?"

"Uh huh," said Pluto nodding still deep in thought, "Advisor to Queen Eclipse clan head of the Grey Moon Clan."

Now Minako was nervous. "Pluto, I was told to come here because the Princess might be in danger."

Pluto blinked her attention now totally on Minako. "What danger?"

"There is energy opposite to our own near her. We are afraid that it could be an attempt to corrupt her."

Pluto broke out into a humorless laugh. "Corrupt her? The only thing that could corrupt the Princess is her own power. As it did in the future Neo-Queen Serenity and Purple Wiseman come from."

"Serenity?" asked Minako narrowing her eyes.

"Yes, she took on her mother's name but it seems little of her mother's wisdom," commented Pluto as she looked into the distance at something only she could see. "The Sailor Mercury of that world stated the Jakokusuishou was created in case a future Moon Kingdom ruler abused their power." Sailor Pluto then looked right at Minako her eyes hard. "Black Wiseman wields the Jakokusuishou of this time this world. Do you understand what I am saying, _Sailor Venus_?" Pluto finished her voice barely over a whisper.

Minako's response was cut short as a flowerpot hit the ground and a watering can Pluto's head. Minako let out a gasp as the now green skinned Pluto looked up scowling. "And here I thought Black Wiseman was exaggerating about the 'at the worst possible time for the first couple of months' part."

"You're not Sailor Pluto," said Artemis jumping back.

Pluto looked down at the cat still scowling. "You think that simply because cold water turns me into a youma? There is a little place in China called Jusenkyo that has hundreds of pool there. You fall in and you take the form of whatever drowned there such as pool of Drowned Man, Drowned Girl, Drowned Piglet, Drowned Duck, and Drowned _Youma_. Want to take a guess as to which pool I had an encounter with?"

"I want proof you are truly Sailor Pluto and not just a youma trying to trick me," said Minako.

Pluto looked at Minako the scowl now just a frown. "Fair enough but I don't see how I can do that. Ki blast can mimic our attacks and given the memories of everyone else so far I doubt recounting anything of the Moon Kingdom would do any good."

Minako nodded accepting the assessment. Her memories of the Moon Kingdom were a somewhat jumbled mess and if Sailor Senshi attacks could be duplicated then that wouldn't be proof either. "What about this Jusenkyo, if I could experience it…"

Pluto's eyes widened in fear. "No, absolutely not. As Purple Wiseman said there is no cure only control. I only used it to make sure there wouldn't be any conflicts with our Sailor Senshi powers." Pluto then started to cry. "I didn't mean to startle the Princess. I didn't intend her to stumble into the caste I brought. I wanted her to be able to choose as I had."

Minako's eyes widened as what Pluto was saying started registering. She then paled as the full implications hit her. "Are you trying to tell me the Princess isn't human anymore?" she asked as she squeezed her hand into a fist.

Pluto backed up her open hands raised. "No, she is like the Black Moon Clan—part youma part human. The only real difference is she changes between the two like I do."

"How?" asked a wary Minako.

"Cold water triggers the transformation and hot water restores your birth form." Pluto weakly smiled. "Can really be annoying at times."

"Mind telling us why you thought getting this water in the first place was a good idea?" asked Artemis.

"Taro decided the best way to test the water he had brought was to dump it on Sailor Moon. In that case Jusenkyo and Moon Kingdom magic didn't mix well and she needed something to address the fact she couldn't change into Sailor Moon anymore."

"What pool would prevent our transformation if you can do it?" asked Minako narrowing her eyes.

"Pool of Drowned Twins," Pluto replied shivering. Pluto then frowned. "Crap, this is a complication we don't need. Excuse me." Pluto then vanished from sight.

"Come on, Artemis," said Minako. "Let's see if there really is a place called Jusenkyo and if it really has the abilities this 'Pluto' claimed."

~*~*RS*~*~

"That's it, Usagi. Don't focus on one emotion all the time," said Ranma as Pluto appeared. "Was it her and did it happen before, during, or after?" Ranma asked without turning around.

"It was Sailor Venus with her Moon Cat advisor and as you said it happened at the worst possible time—during. But that is not the reason I came here. I can feel that Sailors Uranus and Neptune are waking up."

"Those are the Sailor Senshi Purple Wiseman never met, correct?" asked Sailor Moon.

"Correct," said Wiseman.

"Can you find them?" asked Usagi.

Pluto nodded.

"We need to get to them first, before Neo-Queen Serenity does as well as patch up any problems Pluto's transformation might have caused with Sailor Venus," said Usagi.

Usagi frowned as she thought about what little she knew of youma culture and what was expected a clan head. "But first you are going to learn how use your youma powers so we don't have a repeat of what happened."

Pluto winced. "I understand, Princess."

"I understand, _what_?" growled Usagi.

"I understand, Clan Head Eclipse," replied Pluto hanging her head.

Usagi smiled gently as she raised Pluto's head so they were looking at each other. "Pluto, you have to stop thinking of me as Princess Serenity. I am not that person and from what I have seen I have no desire to _be_ that person. I think I might know what part of your problem is." Usagi took a deep breath. "What are you?"

"I am Sailor Senshi who turns into a youma."

Usagi sighed shaking her head. "_That_ is the problem. I am both a human and youma. The form I am in at the moment makes no difference. Black Wiseman, hot and cold water, please."

Ranma nodded and pulled out two thermoses. He opened the one with the blue cap and splashed a filled cup on Usagi.

Pluto frowned. "You didn't change."

Usagi again shook her head. "Wrong, I _did_ change," she said as her skin turned the blue white of her youma form. "I haven't totally mastered this but if you are prepared you can appear not to change even when you do." Usagi then closed her eyes but after a while frowned.

"Something wrong?" asked Wiseman.

Usagi reopened her eyes. "I didn't change into the form that mimics Sailor Moon's appearance but I should be able to."

"I don't get it," said Wiseman. "Sailor Mercury said your transformation was a youma one not due to the magic of the Moon Kingdom."

Ami snapped her fingers. "I've got it. It's akin to muscle memory or to be more accurate a conditioned response."

"Conditioned response? I wonder…" Usagi pulled out her compact. "Moon prism power, make up!" she said. After the transformation sequence Usagi again frowned. "This is a problem."

"Agreed," said Wiseman and Ranma nearly simultaneously. The two versions of Ranma then looked at each other.

"Problem is do we have the time to do this right?" asked Ranma.

"Depends on what her friends decide," replied Wiseman. "We can't keep going though what every youma knows because they have been taught from childhood." Wiseman then turned to the Sailor Senshi. "I really wish I didn't have to force this issue but time is not something we have much of."

Wiseman gave a heavy sigh. He really hated what was going to come next but avoiding it was not going to make it better. "Jusenkyo provides certain things that are normally learned to those that fall into its pools. Animals that fall into the human pools can walk on emerging, Mousse and others who fell into the pool of drowned duck can fly, and so on. I thought given Eclipse's transformation that youma shape shifting was the same. The ability is there but it needs refinement and that takes time."

"What are you trying to say, Purple Wiseman?" asked Rei.

"He is trying to say if any of us have any ideas about using the Pool of Drowned Youma we need to choose _now_," said Makoto.

"_Use_ the Pool of Drowned Youma?" asked Luna. "Sailor Jupiter, have you lost your mind?!" yelled the Moon Cat.

"Why does suggesting it mean she has lost her mind, Luna?" asked Rei scowling. "Instead of finding out what was going on my futureself decided to use Purple Wiseman as target practice enough though he was around lots of people. As I came to know the members of the Black Moon Clan I realized much to my shame that I had judged youma more on _what_ they were rather than who they were or what they had done. If stepping into their world from time to time will prevent me from being the trigger-happy bigot that I seemed to have become in Purple Wiseman's future then I will do it."

Luna turned to Ami who had been frowning. "Mercury, talk some sense into those two."

Ami glared at the Moon Cat. "Sense? Don't you talk to me of sense, Luna. I was there when that _thing_ that had been my future showed up at the school. I think the only reason that she didn't fire at Usagi was because I was so close to her." Ami looked at Wiseman and Ranma. "However I would add if we are willing to take a step into our world that the youma should have the option of taking a step into ours via Pool of Drowned Girl."

Luna in final desperation looked up at Sailor Moon and felt a chill go down her spine before she could utter a word. It wasn't the fact Sailor Moon was nodding in agreement with the statements by the other Sailor Senshi but the look in her eyes. For the first time Luna realized Sailor Moon's eyes were not only totally devoid of emotion but empty as well. The cold hard reality she had been ignoring finally hit Luna like a ton of bricks; Sailor Moon was literally a soulless shell.

Luna was in so much shock that by the time she finally recovered it was way too late to argue anything.

**~*~*****Hikawa Shrine, Akasaka district, Minato ward*****~*~**

Early the next morning Rei was sitting in front of her fire a thermos by her side. Nervously she opened it and poured a cup of ice water on her head. Rei then looked at her hand that had turned a reddish pink tone.

"Grand daughter?" asked her Grandfather.

Rei turned her head. "Yes, grandfather?"

Rei grandfather walked over and knelling gently turned her hand back and forth. "Cold water?" he asked.

Rei nodded.

"Jusenkyo is in China. How did you come into contact with it here?"

Before Rei could answer they heard a voice cursing at the entrance of the shrine. "That sounds like… your voice," said her grandfather frowning.

Rei's eyes widened and she immediately bolted to the entrance. There as she had feared was her futureself.

"Sailor Mars," she whispered as the fact she was sensing no ki what so ever from this person sunk in.

Sailor Mars narrowed her eyes. "You're not Hino Rei. Where is she?"

"I _am_ Hino Rei," Rei said holding up her henshi stick. "Do I need to transform to prove it?"

"The youma that impersonated Usagi could mimic the transformation as well."

Rei frowned and then smiled. She then gestured to the wards hung around the shrine. "If I am an impostor, mind explaining why I can cross the wards while you clearly can't, Sailor Mars?"

Sailor Mars scowled. "I can't. You're a youma so you shouldn't have been able to cross the barriers but you clearly did. Regardless, I won't let you complete whatever you have planned."

Rei scowled as Mars got into an attack pose she knew all too well. "You would fight me here? You would endanger our grandfather?" Rei asked as she quickly advanced and grabbed Mars' hands preventing the Fire Soul spell from being completed. Rei then kneed Mars and pushing her away bolted down the stairs.

Several minutes and blocks later Rei finally lost Mars and sat down in an alley. Calming herself Rei caused her skin color to change to human norms. Leaning back Rei then muttered to her self. "Well that certainly didn't go as planned. I never dreamed Sailor Mars would show up right on the shrine's freaking front door step."

"The Sailor Senshi always have a knack for showing up when they are least wanted," said a female voice.

Rei turned and saw a blue skinned lizard like youma. "You ran into trouble too?" asked Rei trying to sound casual.

The lizard youma nodded and sat down across from Rei. "Sailor Mercury. My clan sister kept her busy to allow me to escape. It likely cost her life and all for some boosted bitch."

Rei nodded wincing. 'Before Wiseman, I never even considered the idea youma might have feelings. Who is the real monster here?'

The lizard youma had noticed the wince and misread it. "I know what you are thinking; what a senseless waste. I agree but until recently what choice have we had?" The lizard youma leaned forward. "This Wiseman and his Black Moon Clan, they sound like a viable alternative."

Rei smiled. "'A general who listens to my calculations, and uses them, will surely be victorious, keep him; a general who does not listen to my calculations, and does not use them, will surely be defeated, remove him.' so says Sun Tzu."

The lizard youma blinked. "You are of the Black Moon Clan?"

"No, the Grey Moon Clan."

"There was talk of a Grey Moon Clan and a Black Wiseman but I didn't understand what it meant."

"Simply put it is the planned overthrow of Queen Beryl and the crushing of _all_ threats to this world," said Rei.

The lizard youma smiled showing its pointed teeth. "Sounds fun. But what of the Black Moon Clan and their Wiseman?"

"They agree with the idea," said Rei. "There are other forces in play that Queen Beryl doesn't even know about: Pharaoh 90 and Snow Princess Kaguya. Dealing with the Sailor Senshi, Queen Beryl, _and_ those two were proving to be too much even for the Black Moon Clan's Wiseman. We all decided that a partial division of forces was warranted."

The lizard youma nodded. "I didn't realize the Black Moon Clan was that large."

Rei's intended reply was cut off by screaming. Rei got up and looked out of the alley. Standing several feet off the ground was an orange and white female figure with black lines across her body. In the creature's hand was a crystal that shimmered with ki as it laughed over the body of a prone human. Pulling out her communication compact Rei turned it on.

"We have something down here. I leaving this channel open," Rei said into the device as she confronted the creature.

"I don't think that belongs to you," said Rei noting that the crystal held much of the person's ki. Clearly if it remained out of the person for long they would die.

"This pure heart crystal belongs to me," replied the creature. The next thing the creature knew Rei reached across the distance, took the crystal from the creature's grasp, placed it back on the human where it went back into the body, and then gave the creature a swift uppercut.

"Thanks for telling me who you work for and what you are," said Rei. "Now I know that you are nothing more than an object given a mockery of life and I don't have to hold back."

"What are you?" asked the creature.

"Part of the inner guard for the clan head of the Grey Moon Clan," replied Rei rushing the creature and hitting it in the stomach. "By the way Mistress 9 and Black Wiseman send their regards, daimon," smirked Rei as she back handed the creature with a force that would have broken a human neck like a twig.

"Newsbreak!" yelled the creature as it revealed a star shaped hole in its body.

"I don't know if you can pull pure hearts crystals out of youma and I don't intend to give you the time to find out," said Rei leaping at the creature. In one swift motion Rei grabbed the creature by the neck and kicked it full force in the back.

"Newsbreak!" screamed the creature.

"Mistress 9 said you things were durable," commented Rei as tentacles emerged from her midsection and grabbed the daimon trapping its hands to its sides.

"What is this?" asked the lizard youma.

"This is a daimon. A seed containing its essence is put on an object and then it turns that object into a body for it to use. It isn't alive in any sense you or I understand the term," continued Rei as a set of jet-black doors appeared out of the ground and then opened.

"What you know it worked," said a black robed figure as it emerged with a tall woman in a formal dress next to him.

"Well that is going to help if they decide to focus in this ward," said Rei grimacing. "Mistress 9, I kicked this thing with enough for to break its back and am squeezing it like an orange but I can't force the daimon seed out."

"Mistress 9, let me try something," said the black robed figure. The figure walked up and looked over the daimon. It then shouted "Bakusai Tenketsu!" as it touched part of the daimon causing cracks to appear on the daimon's body.

"Newsbreak!" screamed the daimon as it changed back to a newspaper machine that promptly fell apart.

"It worked…kind of," commented the robed figure as it knelt down and examined the remains. "Who's your companion, Rei?"

"We hadn't gotten to that before this showed up."

"Wiseman?" asked the lizard youma.

The robed figure turned to the youma as it stood. "Black Wiseman Advisor of the Grey Moon Clan to be more accurate."

The lizard youma got on one knee lowering its head. "I am Rept and petition for membership in your clan."

"Rei?" asked Black Wiseman.

"She is tired of fighting Beryl's lost cause and desired to see the boosted bitch replaced."

Black Wiseman nodded. "Your petition will be considered. Stand."

Rept stood and Black Wiseman nodded. "I will be training you in ki generation and manipulation. Not only will it make you stronger and faster but it will eliminate your need to feed on human ki." Black Wiseman seemed to straighten up and then turned. "Little late aren't we?" he asked.

Rei scowled as she saw a girl she didn't recognize in Sailor Senshi garb. "You aren't going to try something stupid and reckless like Sailor Mars did earlier today are you?" Rei asked.

The Sailor Senshi narrowed her eyes looking over the group. "Who are you?"

Black Wiseman chuckled. "I thought Pluto had already told you about us. I guess she didn't give you much in the way of details. Now do we handle this intelligently or does it go stupid like most of my fights do?"

"Saotome Ranma! Even though it has been nearly 1,000 years I still recognize your arrogant taunting laugh!" yelled the same female voice from a different direction.

The Sailor Senshi took a step back her mouth open in shock as Black Wiseman groaned and put his head in his hand. "Great, we get option two thanks to the time traveling bimbo brigade."

"I am Sailor Venus not a bimbo you womanizing Casanova!" yelled the new arrival.

"That's…that's impossible," said the original Sailor Senshi. "_I'm_ Sailor Venus."

Another Sailor Senshi appeared out of thin air behind the second Sailor Venus. "Venus, listen to reason. Stop this foolishness."

The second Sailor Venus spun around and punched the Sailor Senshi behind her in the stomach. "Impostor! The real Sailor Pluto wouldn't call our defense of this world foolishness."

"Defense of this world?" growled Pluto clutching her stomach. "Just who pray tell are you defending it from? Queen Beryl? Her resources dwindle by the day as ours grow. Pharaoh 90 and Snow Queen Kaguya? The first is crippled and the second won't produce a peep for nearly a year."

"You know exactly who I am talking about: Wiseman and his Black Moon Clan. Mercury told us about you youma that can mimic our forms and our powers."

Pluto narrowed her eyes. "Is that what she told you? Great, look I can prove I am Sailor Pluto. When Neo-Queen Serenity was talking with me Mercury said there had been two messages sent by Pioneer 11 and based on its parallax it could have only came from Nemesis. The second message expressly stated Wicked Lady was a candidate for the Black Moon Clan and that she was the daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity. If I wasn't Sailor Pluto how could I know all that?"

"The real Sailor Pluto said Saotome Ranma was the reincarnation of her mother and his future-self was Wiseman. He could have accessed her memories and used them with the Jakokusuishou to access the Time Gates just like he did to create that," finished future Sailor Venus pointing to the black crystal doors.

Pluto looked at Black Wiseman. "Mom, help me on this. How do I convince either of them that I am who I say I am? How do I avoid another needless and senseless battle?"

Black Wiseman sighed. "I honestly don't know. If it wasn't for your mother's knowledge I would assume that simply because the Time Gates _are_ a time machine that they could view any place any time. The idea that they actually have limits would not occur to most people. Certainly not to people who only have the vaguest ideas on how they work in the first place. Of course that doesn't mean we can't try."

"Try?" responded the second Sailor Venus scowling. "You have got to be kidding, Ranma, Wiseman, or whatever name you are using. You ally yourself with that Mistress 9 thing even though your ki abilities must be telling you what her presence is doing to her host."

"It is thanks to Ranma's training that Mistress 9 and I can coexist, you ignorant baka," snapped Mistress 9.

"Sailor Venus, you act like you know me," said Black Wiseman.

"All too well. You were a thorn in our sides for years after the Great Freeze."

Black Wiseman nodded. "Then you must know what it means when I swear on my honor as a martial artist."

"It is the most serious oath you could take. You might try to bend it but you would never break it, no matter what," said Future Sailor Venus.

"On my honor as a martial artist I do swear that the person you just gut punched, the one Sailor Mercury met at the school, and the Sailor Pluto you originally met when you arrived in this time period are one in the same."

Future Sailor Venus just stared at Black Wiseman her mouth hanging open. She then scowled. "YOU BASTARD! VENUS LOVE CHAIN!" she screamed leaping at Black Wiseman… and both her and her attack slamming right into an invisible barrier.

"Silence Wall. Got to love it," said Mistress 9 frowning as Future Sailor Venus fell to the ground. "Mind telling me what prompted _that_ reaction?"

"Pool of Drowned Youma. It changes the mind as well as the body," she hissed. "It's the only answer that fits."

"Actually, the idea that you just don't want to admit that what you did in your timeline was wrong is still valid," said Sailor Pluto rubbing her stomach. "You are so intend on deigning that fact that you are embracing increasingly wilder ideas with little proof to back them up."

"Pluto, remember your duty…" started Future Venus.

Pluto grabbed the future Sailor Senshi by the front of her costume and pulled her until they were nearly nose-to-nose. "My duty is to project the Kingdom from all external threats," hissed Pluto. "Queen Beryl is an invader from another reality while your Queen is an invader from another _time_. What your Neo-Queen Serenity has decided is irrelevant as my clan head queen has deemed all of you a bunch of narrow minded, egotistical, power crazed maniacs little better then Queen Beryl. This. Is. Not. Your. World!" finished Pluto shaking the Future Sailor Venus.

Pluto then slammed the future Sailor Venus into the Silent Wall. "I would threaten to kill you if it would do any good but it wouldn't."

"That's it, Pluto. Fight whatever he did to you," said Future Sailor Venus.

Pluto blinked and then chuckled. "Oh that is rich. Not only did those two not tell Neo-Queen Serenity but they didn't tell any of you."

"What two? What are you talking about?" asked present Sailor Venus.

"Sailor Mars and Mercury of her time," replied Pluto nodding to the Future Sailor Venus. "You see in their history all the Sailor Senshi died fighting Beryl but their Queen brought them back. The only problem is she botched the job; her Sailor Senshi are nothing more than animated corpses preserved by her magic."

"No, that can't be true!" exclaimed Future Sailor Venus.

Pluto let future Sailor Venus go and smirked. "If you don't believe me why don't you ask them? Or better yet ask that air headed Queen of yours how much actual life ki any of you have."

Future Venus turned and ran. "I'll prove you're wrong and I will return with the rest of the Sailor Senshi."

Pluto smiled sadly. "I doubt that. This revelation will tear your little group apart." Pluto turned to the remaining Sailor Venus. "I wish there had been a better way to tell you that but…" Pluto shrugged.

Pluto then turned her attention to the youma and everyone watched as her skin changed to a green darker than her hair.

"You're…you're a youma!" said Rept.

"And a Sailor Senshi." Pluto then frowned. "I am think our original names are going to cause confusion when the future Sailor Senshi start trying to 'fix' things. Perhaps the Greek version of who we are might work."

"Pluto, I think we have more important things than what we call ourselves to worry about," said Rei gesturing to Sailor Venus.

"You are right in that this is not exactly the best time to worry about things like that, Rei," said Black Wiseman, "but Pluto is also right that in the heat of battle having the same names as our adversaries would be confusing at best. Kami knows it is bad enough with our allies."

Pluto looked at Sailor Venus. "I really wish mother or I could give you the time you need but that is not possible. You will have to decide soon."

"Decide what?" asked Sailor Venus.

"If _you_ want to use the Pool of Drowned Youma. You don't have to; for example, Sailor Saturn elected not to use it."

"What about the other Sailor Senshi?" asked Artemis.

"They elected to use it, Artemis," smiled Pluto. "On Ami's suggestion we have some Pool of Drowned Girl for the youma to use if she wishes. We have found improvement via martial arts training is easier to achieve in human form and transfers in proportion to youma form."

"Pluto, are you out of your mind?" yelled Artemis.

"First Luna now you," scowled Rei. "What is it with you Moon Cats and the Pool Drowned Youma? It is not like it changes how we think. It does allow us to meet the youma as true equals rather than relying on the magical powers of a long gone Kingdom we don't even fully understand. From what I have seen today I trust my youma powers far more than I trust those I gain as Sailor Mars."

Rept and Sailor Venus stared at Rei in shock. "You're Sailor Mars?" asked Rept nervously.

"I still have access to her powers but I would prefer not to use them if I can avoid it." Rei gestured to the remains of the newspaper machine. "That may not be an option with these daimon."

"As much as it annoys me you may be right," said Black Wiseman also gesturing to the remains of the newspaper machine. "Breaking the hold the seed had on the object required too fine a target to effectively hit in actual combat. Even I had problems seeing the ki the seed generated."

"Perhaps another war council is in order," said Mistress 9.

"We have the added problem that our local meeting place here has been compromised," said Rei. "My futureself showed up at the temple and wasn't above trying to attack me even though our grandfather was inside. So I attacked her and led her away from the temple. It was just as Purple Wiseman said; she had no active life ki at all."

"Reckless, borderline delusional, and powerful is always a bad combination," said Black Wiseman. "Sailor Venus, you can meet the entire Grey Moon Clan at the Tendo dojo in the Nerima ward at 6:00 PM. Rept, I think it would be wise to come with us. The future Sailor Venus was a little too attack happy for me to trust this one not to use you as target practice," said Black Wiseman as he walked to the black doors and put his hand on them.

"That wasn't me," said the current Sailor Venus.

"It is not me you need to convince," said Black Wiseman as the others went through the black doors. "It is Queen Eclipse." Black Wiseman tapped the side of the doors before stepping through. The doors then closed and Sailor Venus saw cracks appearing on them. Suddenly the black gates collapsed into a fine black powder leaving Sailor Venus and Artemis alone to think over what they had seen and heard.

~*~*RS*~*~

Why Ami, Rei, and Makoto choose to use the Pool of Drowned youma will be fully explained in the next chapter.


	10. Chap 10 Families

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 10 – Families

Mizuno Saeko bolted out of her chair as her daughter's skin color became a pale blue.

"Mom, I'm fine," said Ami. "This my natural skin color in this form."

"That is not normal skin color…" began Saeko.

"For a human," finished Ami who then sighed. "This is what I have been trying to explain to you. In my cold water form I am not human."

"Cold water form?"

"Jusenkyo is a place in China where there are magic pools. You take on the form of whatever drowned in the pool whose water covers you when you come into contact with cold water. The process is temporarily reversed with warm water."

"How did you get into contact with a pool that is in China?"

"Sailor Pluto brought a cask of one of the pools here. We elected to use it."

Saeko frowned. "You _chose_ this? In Kami's name why?"

Ami looked at her mother. "Remember how concerned you were when Sailor Mars and Mercury showed up and tried to blast one of the students?"

"Not just that but they _did_ attack that sensei called Wiseman that you have spoken so highly of." Saeko grasped her daughter's hands. "Ami, you should have told me you were this frightened of the Sailor Senshi rather than trying to handle it on your own."

Ami gave a sad smile. "Mom, I did this more than simply because Sailor Mercury terrifies me. All she did was make my decision easier."

"I don't understand."

"I always wanted to be a doctor like you but I would be limited by what drugs and other human methods were available. I realized that this form combined with the methods Wiseman developed would allow me to develop methods of curing disease that thanks to Jusenkyo the foundation of which could be given to _any_ physician. Think about it, Mom. Cancer, malaria, or any other disease that we at best can only treat I could learn how to truly cure and then teach other doctors willing to use the Pool of Drowned Youma to do the same," said Ami her eyes shining with joy and passion.

Saeko slowly sat down in the chair next to Ami. "You said Sailor Mercury terrifies you and that she made your decision easier. Was it because you were friends with and right next to the girl they tried to attack?"

"That and one other reason more important than all the others," said Ami as she stood pulling out a henshi stick. "Mercury power make up!"

Saeko slowly stood her mouth hanging open. "How?"

"The one thing I didn't tell you about Wiseman because it would have made me sound like a total nutcase is that he is a _time traveler_. He is from what was one of our futures. Problem is he didn't come here alone." Ami pointed in the rough direction of her school. "That _thing_ that showed up is from the same future as Wiseman is. She isn't just a trigger-happy vigilante but she isn't even alive. She is nothing more than a corpse animated and preserved by the magic of the Moon Kingdom," continued Ami tears now running down her face. "She is what I would have become if I never met Wiseman and what I was still at risk at becoming if I remained 100 percent human. I want to help people not be some walking corpse that helps enslaves them as she did."

Saeko hugged her now sobbing daughter. "What did Wiseman say about all this?"

"He reminded us that there is no cure for Jusenkyo but he didn't see anything wrong with the idea."

"What?" asked Saeko in a somewhat angry tone.

"I wouldn't be too hard on Wiseman," said Ami pulling herself out of her mother's now loosening hug. "He has lived in a culture where humans and youma lived together and interbred for well over eight centuries. He was raised by a father who only wanted him to be the greatest martial artist of his generation and neglected anything he felt didn't fit into that. Wiseman did make one thing clear—based on his own experience we were not to hide our Jusenkyo curses from our families. In fact, his exact words were 'I want your word of honor that if you do use Jusenkyo that you will tell your families about it before the end of the next day. Also regardless of your choice I want you to inform your families of the meeting we will have here at the Tendo dojo, Nerima ward at 6:00 PM tomorrow. I will have no more secrets regarding your families; on this point I will not budge or change my mind.' I think Wiseman is going to explain everything to everyone at that meeting."

~*~*RS*~*~

"It's clear Purple Wiseman wants to explain everything he can to everyone," said Usagi to Zirconite as they walked to Furinkan High School. "I just hope my parents are willing to listen to him this time rather than yelling at him and Mistress 9."

"Maintaining blood family ties is important but not as important as the clan, Eclipse," said Zirconite firmly.

"I know. I think this must be how Ranma must have felt: everything is forcing you to make on the spot choices and you keep wondering if you made the right one."

"Eclipse… Usagi, your choice to have that Pool of Drowned Girl water brought to us was a good one. For the first time I truly understand humans and what the achievements of Wiseman and his friends really mean. It is a little frightening."

"Using my powers to appear old enough to go to high school is a little frightening as well though Wiseman and Ranma said that it shouldn't matter."

"Aloha, the Big Kahuna sees you have way too long hair and am here to correct that situation," said a man wielding a pair of huge scissors with what looked like a palm tree growing out of his head.

"That is human?" asked Zirconite.

"Supposed to be," said Usagi as shot out a tentacle grabbing the scissor-wielding loon draining him of ki.

"Big Kahuna suddenly feel tired. Take nap." **THUMP**

"Certainly felt like it." Usagi then gestured to the students continuing as if nothing had happened. "The calmness these people took this has me worried."

"I'm worried too as back in your ward if something like this happen people would be screaming and running from the 'monster'. These people are acting like this is _normal_."

"Sweeto!" laughed Happosai carrying his huge bag as he bounced like a demented jackrabbit in front of a mob of females.

"Kill the Pervert!" "It stole my bra." "It stole my panties." "It stole my bra and panties." "Kill it before it breeds."

Usagi and Zirconite looked at the mob, then at each other and back at the little parade of angry females. "It's too late to go back to the Tendo dojo and go back to bed isn't it?" asked Zirconite.

"Not that it would do any good as _that_ rooms at the Tendo dojo," said Usagi her right eyebrow twitching.

"Sweeto!" laughed Happosai as he groped Zirconite, frowned slightly, and then leaped away.

"What happened?" asked Zirconite as Usagi pulled her out of the way of the enraged female mob continuing to chase the martial arts pervert.

"He tried to drain part of your ki."

Zirconite frowned as she pulled on her shirt and looked down. She then rubbed her crotch. "My bra and panties are both gone."

Usagi stared at her youma friend stunned for a moment and then looked at the little man running off into the distance the mob behind him as she scowled. "I am seriously beginning to wonder if this ward would notice Gojira walking down the street in a tutu."

"I think I would get the joke if I knew who Gojira even was."

Usagi groaned. "I think you just pointed out the major snag in my 'portray the youma as foreign exchange students' idea."

"I thought it was to explain our lack of knowledge of Japanese culture."

"Problem is that there are icons that cross culture divides. Oh well, too late to really worry about it now. Let's see if the school nurse has any extras," said Usagi grabbing her youma friend and running to the nurse's office.

Elsewhere four pairs of eyes also watched the Grandmaster of Martial Art Perversion hop into the distance. "The Blue Thunder thinks he understand why you wanted us only to watch for now, Wiseman," said Kuna to what looked like Ranma.

"No need to be so formal, Kuno-san," replied the Advisor of the Black Moon Clan dressed in his younger-self's clothes. "Especially as part my being here rather than my younger self is to sow confusion among our opponents."

"His ki spiked slightly when he glomped Zirconite," said Akane, "but since she didn't react as he expected he wasn't able to get much out of it."

"Didn't stop him from stealing her underwear if the way they are heading to the nurse's office is any indication," commented Wiseman.

"The Blue Thunder thought the creature got a little faster when it grabbed Zirconite but wasn't sure. The Blue Thunder assumed that the creature took the undergarments because of latent ki."

"Very astute, Kuno," replied Wiseman. "His collection allows him a little supply of yin ki he can drain at his leisure."

"How long will my father be out from Usagi's draining of him?" asked Kuno.

"Hard to say." said Wiseman rubbing the bottom of his chin in thought.

"What is it, Wiseman…I mean Ranma?" asked Zoisite his voice higher thanks to his female form.

"Wondering if these standing orders of Beryl to lay low are ploy by her," said Wiseman.

The female Shitennou laughed. "Ploy? Hardly, but Beryl went from worried to frightened if not out right terrified when Quantize reported on your revelations. But I now know that Quantize distorted the information to make it more believable."

"Let me guess," chuckled Wiseman. "King Pendragon the last king of the Dark Kingdom became King Arthur of Camelot and she put everything I had told her in _that_ context."

Zoisite nodded. "Exactly."

"It sure would have been more believable then the truth that I was from 1,000 years from now." Wiseman smirked. "I would have loved to have seen Beryl's face when Quantize told her about Merlin though Quantize could have gone for the possible Faerie connection."

"She went for both," grinned Zoisite.

Wiseman chuckled. "Beautiful. The more she learns about King Arthur the more she will assume what she was told is correct. That should get her paranoia going full tilt." Wiseman then frowned. "I wish I was more confident regarding my up coming meeting. I have to figure out just what I did wrong with Usagi's parents that I don't repeat it. One set of angry parents screaming at Mistress 9 and me was bad enough; I have no desire to listen to four sets of that."

"Perhaps if you told us how you explained it we might be able to pick out the problems," said Akane.

Wiseman nodded. "Well I started by explaining why it was so important to be training Usagi and what I was training her and her friends in."

"You told Usagi's parents right off the bat about Queen Beryl and the youma?" asked Akane in a loud voice. "What were you thinking?"

"I thought since it had worked so well on Nemesis for the last 900 years and was the opposite of Pops not telling you much of anything it was a good idea," said Wiseman nervously.

Akane sighed. "Being honest with them was a good idea but I have a felling it was the _way_ you did it that stunk."

"But it seemed to be going so well. At least until I got to the training method for the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken."

Akane sighed shaking her head. "You told them about a technique where you repeatedly try to retrieve chestnuts from a roaring fire without burning your hands."

"When they said that was nuts I replied that it wasn't like I was teaching her the original method for the Bakusai Tenketsu where you are tied up and your senshi throws rocks at you. That is where things started going down hill."

Akane chuckled. "Even after 1,000 years you still find ways to stick your foot in your mouth, baka."

"Given the reaction I got, baka is right but I don't know _why_," said Wiseman.

"I have a good idea as to why and I think my Ranma does as well," said Akane looking up at Wiseman. "Sun Tzu and martial arts are more than just the mortar that holds Nemesis together. I think they have become the core of your world. You and everyone one else on Nemesis thinks in terms of one or both of those concepts. You can't understand people who wouldn't know Sun Tzu from the American orange Sunkist and whose knowledge of martial arts likely is more suited to a Kung Fu movie than a dojo."

Wiseman winced. "Kuso, we definitely have a problem."

~*~*RS*~*~

"Kuso. Mercury, I asked you a simple question," yelled Neo-Queen Serenity in an abandoned warehouse in the Azabu-Juuban section of Minato. "I didn't ask about heart beats, breathing, brain activity, or anything else. I asked can if you detect life ki in anyone here aside from myself. I order you to tell me!"

Mercury stiffened slightly. "You are the only one here who is showing any active life ki," she replied as Mars took a slight step back.

"You mean that youma you said was pretending to be Pluto wasn't lying?" asked Jupiter.

"She also said Sailors Mars and Mercury knew," said Sailor Venus scowling at the two Sailor Senshi in question.

"Did you?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity softly.

"You have to understand that…" began Mars.

"All I want from you is a simple yes or no answer," said Neo-Queen Serenity in a cold voice as she looked at Mars. After a moment of silence she screamed at the fire senshi. "DID YOU KNOW?"

Mars blanched. "Yes," she squeaked.

"Mercury?"

Mercury winced. "Yes. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry," repeated Neo-Queen Serenity. "Did you two ever even consider the idea that perhaps that some day that Venus or Jupiter might want to start a family of their own? Were you two going to wait until the day of the wedding to tell them 'I'm sorry but you can't have kids because you're nothing more than a walking corpse animated by the magic of the Ginzuishou' or were you going to wait until they had tried to have children?" ranted the Queen of Crystal Tokyo.

"Neo-Queen Serenity, you have to understand we only discovered it by accident," said Mars. "I decided some 100 years after we banished the rebels to Nemesis that perhaps I should do a fire reading just to see what they might be up to. It felt wrong for some reason so I had Mercury see what was going on and that is when we found out. Since you were having problems with Small Lady not growing up, Venus hadn't chased a boy since the Great Freeze, and Jupiter didn't seem to be interested in any male, you didn't need to know that we may have been dead since our encounter with Queen Beryl."

"If we have been well preserved zombies since that time why didn't Mars find this out sooner?" asked Venus.

"Mercury thinks that I was unknowingly tapping in the latent ki energy of my grandfather for the two years after Beryl," said Mars.

"So to keep from hurting my feelings you decided to hide it and risk hurting those of two of your other friends," said Neo-Queen Serenity through narrowed eyes. "No wonder Saotome Ranma aka Wiseman has such a dim view of us; that sounds like something his _FATHER_ would dream up!" she yelled.

"Whoa there your majesty," snapped back Mars. "Your old 'friend' is happily replacing us with youma. He had already replaced Pluto, you, and as I found out just today me."

"Kuso," groaned Venus putting her face in her hand. "Please tell me you didn't threaten or fire attacks at her."

"Of course I threatened that thing that was pretending to be me at the temple. It interrupted my attack, kneed me in the stomach, and ran off," replied Mars.

"YOU BAKA. YOU UTTER BUMBLING MORON! DO YOU HAVE _ANY_ IDEA WHAT YOU MAY HAVE DONE WITH YOUR HOT HEADED STUPIDITY?" exploded Venus.

"WHAT DO MEAN?" yelled back Mars. "THEY'RE YOUMA PRETENDING TO BE US."

"Four words you hot headed trigger happy baka: Pool of Drowned Youma," replied Venus her face red with anger. "Let me give you Ranma's exact words on the matter: on my honor as a martial artist I do swear that the person you just gut punched, the one Sailor Mercury met at the school, and the Sailor Pluto you originally met when you arrived in this time period are one in the same."

Mars promptly paled. "What?" she squeaked.

"Venus," said Neo-Queen Serenity her eyes cold with anger. "Were those Ranma's _exact_ words?"

"Word for word," replied Venus.

"Mars, Mercury, I have to ask one thing," asked the Queen of Crystal Tokyo calmly. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE MOON WERE YOU THINKING?" she exploded with a verbal force rivaling Saturn's Death Born Revolution. "Mars, I can accept as she always was a little reckless but; Mercury, you were always so calm and dedicated to research. What the hell happened?"

"I told you what happened. The youma that said it was Sailor Pluto tried to drain me and the youma that claimed it was you used its own shape shifting power to do the transformation and a ki blast as Moon Healing Escalation. If it had really been you it would have used Moon Kingdom magic. Then the real Sailor Moon showed up but as I said before there was something well _wrong_ about her."

"You are sure what you saw was Sailor Moon and not Zoicite doing his little impression?" said Venus angrily.

"Well the first Sailor Moon was a youma…" started Mercury.

"So you didn't bother to check the second one," finished Venus. "I can't believe I am hearing this from _you_ of all people, Mercury," yelled Venus. "Don't you recall the story Neo-Queen Serenity told us about that martial artist called Taro?"

"It was just a story of some martial artist trying to get his name changed with some water from the place Ranma got his curse," said Mars as Neo-Queen Serenity paled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't believe this," replied Venus. "Here you were the one who always called her Meatball Head and yet in something this important it is you and Mercury who both go stupid."

"He thought he had the Spring of Drowned _Virtuous_ Man," said Neo-Queen Serenity still pale as a ghost. The color quickly came back into her face as she turned to Mars and Mercury. "Wiseman already had them thinking I was like Queen Beryl and you two go off and make him look even more correct."

"Kuso," said Mercury her eyes widening in realization. "There were pools that affected the mind as well as the body."

"_Now_, she remembers," commented Sailor Venus sarcastically.

"But Sailor Moon was there coming in behind the youma that claimed it was Sailor Moon," reasoned Mercury.

"A Sailor Moon that you like a total vacuum brain did _not_ scan, Mercury!" exploded Neo-Queen Serenity. "Did it occur to you that the _second_ Sailor Moon could have been the fake?"

"You mean that youma I met really could have been my younger self?" asked Mars nervously.

"This is just great. My past-self already thought we were no better than Beryl thanks to Wiseman and his Black Moon Clan, but you two had to go all stupid and make his case for them."

"It is even worse than that," said Venus. "From what Pluto said your younger-self has already deemed us all narrow minded, egotistical, power crazed maniacs who are as much invaders as Beryl is."

"Invaders?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity surprised. "How can Pluto consider us invaders?"

"Because we are from a different time and now I suspect a different history as I don't remember anything even remotely like this mess," said Venus.

"Mess is right," said Neo-Queen Serenity scowling. "Knowing Ranma my younger-self is likely not at my old middle school anymore. The Tendo Dojo seems like the most logical place to start. Hopefully there is something I can salvage out of this."

"You're not going alone!" said Mars.

"No I am not, but if you think I am taking you or Mercury along you are out of your mind. Because of your blasted secret I have a daughter who basically hates my guts!"

"What? How the hell do you figure that Mercury and I are to blame for that?" yelled Mars.

"Because, Sailor Mushbrain, Tuxedo Mask also died that day," said Neo-Queen Serenity a tone of cold anger in her voice. "If he is like the rest of you then he is not Small Lady's father but rather the Ginzuishou is."

"That might explain her red eyes and pink hair but it doesn't explain why she couldn't grow up," said Mercury. "Even if she was some kind of genetically altered clone created by the Ginzuishou in response to your desire for a family she should have grown up at the same rate you did."

"It was the Ginzuishou responding to my desires that brought you four back as very well preserved walking and talking corpses so it's likely it somehow messed up my desire to have a family as well. If I had known that then perhaps I would have not spent 850 years going down dead ends trying to figure out why the hell I couldn't get my daughter to get past the physical age of 10!"

"Mercury you said that Wicked Lady compared her mother to Ranma's father at the school but you weren't clear as to why," said Jupiter. "If I had to guess I would say it was about this little piece of news."

"How do you figure that?" asked Mars nervous.

"All living things have ki," said Neo-Queen Serenity her eyes widening in realization. "The day I sent him to Nemesis Ranma jokingly said it was ironic that my honor guard had better ki masking abilities then even he did; he said it was like they were not even alive. He must have figured it out after he found the Jakokusuishou and became Wiseman."

Neo-Queen Serenity then scowled at Mars and Mercury. "If you insist that I don't go alone then I am taking Jupiter with me. Right now she seems to be the _only_ Sailor Senshi whose appearance won't put my younger-self at Defcon 1."

~*~*RS*~*~

"Makoto, Ami, this is Black Wiseman," said Ranma into his communicator trying to keep the worry out of his voice. "Report your status."

"This is Makoto, Ranma; I'm fine. But my teacher would like to know what is going on."

"This is Ami, Ranma and I am fine. I'm with my mom on route to the dojo."

"What? The meeting is tonight not now."

"My mother was keeping me home to try and understand my new status when Rei come over the communicator."

"Wonderful. Makoto, given your _teacher_ wants to know what is going on I take it your parents took it better."

"Ranma…my parents died in an airplane accident when I was very young," replied Makoto.

"What about your family?" asked Ranma frowning.

"You and the Grey Moon Clan _are_ my family, Ranma. For the first time since my parents died I am not alone. I finally have something I can call a family again," replied Makoto happily.

Ranma looked at his communicator crystal in shock while his father walked up behind him.

"Pops…" said Ranma in a warning tone.

Ignoring the warning Genma sat next to his son. "Makoto, are you telling me that you have lived totally on your own since your parents died?" asked the elder martial artist.

"Does that surprise you, Genma? Oh what am I saying, of course it does because in your world girls are weak whinny little things."

"That is what my father taught me," said Genma frowning. "While nowhere near my son you have demonstrated great skill. Didn't you tell you sensei at least?"

"I have no formal sensei. My martial art is all self taught."

Genma and Ranma both looked at each other and then back at the communicator in shock.

"She's first Dan level and she's self taught," said Genma a grin starting to form. "Imagine what she could do under a formal senshi."

"True but you are not training her without supervision, Pops," said Ranma firmly. "You tend to be overzealous in training any technique that comes your way without seeing what the dangers are. One of the first things I am going to require is that Elder Cologne go over any ideas that you have before you train anyone in them."

"I'm hurt that you would trust the judgment of a dried up mummy over that of your own father," said Genma.

**WHAM**

"When he is stupid enough to insult someone standing right behind him, I certainly am," said Ranma as he looked at Cologne as a car pulled up. "Makoto, I think Ami's mother just showed up," said Ranma as a frowning woman in a white lab coat and Ami both got out. "Get back to you later."

"Wiseman?" asked Mizuno Saeko.

"One of them," sighed Ranma.

"I am Doctor Mizuno Saeko and my daughter just told me what happened," fumed the doctor as she approached. "Her body temperature is 10 degrees lower than it should be, her heart rate and blood pressure are low, and I don't dare give her any medications because I have no idea on how her youma body will react."

"Medications?" asked Aquatici.

"The people of this time did not have our martial arts ki training and so had to largely rely on chemical compounds to treat many illnesses," explained Blue Saphir.

"Much like your elixirs," commented Veneti.

Blue Saphir nodded. "Yes but they had to be used in many situations that simple ki techniques are used for now. The most extreme was something called chemotherapy." Blue Saphir shivered. "Ghastly method they used in treating diseases like cancer."

"Cancer? What's cancer?" asked Aquatici puzzled.

"It was an ancient disease where certain cells in the body would divide uncontrollably invading other tissues of the body as well as spreading to other locations in the body through the circulation or lymphatic systems. The result was generally premature death."

"Sounds like a nasty version of what we call tumor," said Aquatici.

"As near as I can tell from the records it is what happens if you don't proper treat tumor," said Blue Saphir. "The last such case was also the first time a youma used the ki healing methods we still employ to our present day; that is why cancer hasn't been seen since."

"You see, mom," said Ami excited. "_This_ is why I became a youma."

Saeko blinked. "You can _cure_ cancer?"

Blue Saphir reached into his robe and pulled out a small opaque ball made out of crystal. "I can't as no one on Nemesis has even _seen_ the disease in nearly nine centuries but the method used like all medical achievements would be in the medical archive." Blue Saphir gestured with the hand that held the globe. "I can have a duplicate archive ready in about three hours."

"Saphir, I have one practical question," said Ranma. "Will Saeko be able to _use_ it? From what I have seen everything you guys do regarding things like this involves the transfer of ki but not all martial arts teach that."

Saphir chuckled. "Medical archives were designed to be used in the case the user was unable to generate more than base levels of ki."

"Ranma…I mean Black Wiseman," said Wicked Lady running up. "Mother is on the move again. I think…she is coming here."

"Oh joy," groaned Ranma as a rain shower triggered Ranma's curse. Ranma then looked into the sky as Saeko stood there in shock. "I can already tell it is going to be one of _those_ days."

Several minutes later Neo-Queen Serenity and Sailor Jupiter came down in front of the Tenjo house where Neo-Queen Serenity started to fidget.

"Looks like Neo-Queen Serenity doesn't know what to do," commented Ranma looking at the image in his black stone copy of the Time Gates.

"Given her idealism she likely here to try and salvage something out of this mess," responded Wicked Lady.

"This is the leader of the people that attacked my daughter's school?" asked Saeko.

"Yes, but…" was all Ranma got out before Saeko was out of the dojo. "Oh, Kuso."

~*~*RS*~*~

Neo-Queen Serenity fidgeted trying to decide how to best approach the situation when a woman looking like an older version of Ami in a lab coat emerged from the front gates followed by Ranma in his black robe, Rei, Ami, Mistress 9, her daughter, Sailor Moon, Luna, a strange little old lady on a staff, a reptilian-looking youma, and most of the Black Moon Clan.

"I thought my presence was supposed help calm things down," said Jupiter.

"Saeko, calm down," said Ranma.

Saeko turned and looked at Ranma. "Calm down? This maniac's friends attacked my daughter's school and have her so terrified of her own future that she decided that changing races based on water temperature was the safer option."

Neo-Queen Serenity felt a chill go down her spine. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"She is talking about Spring of Drowned Youma, Meatball Head," said Rei.

Neo-Queen Serenity promptly paled and looked at Ami. "Mercury…" Neo-Queen Serenity began.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" yelled Ami. "Sailor Mercury is _dead_. She died 12,000 years ago in another fucking universe. _I_ would have known enough not to senselessly engage a potential enemy in a crowded place like a school. _I_ would have enough sense to at least see if what I was being told was plausible before letting my friend use somebody as target practice. That _thing_ you brought along with you that you call Sailor Mercury IS NOT ME!" finished Ami yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Perhaps this would go better is you addressed us by our actual names, Meatball Head" said Rei frowning. "Unless the reason you don't is because you don't remember anymore. Just as it is clear your Sailor Senshi wouldn't remember Love or Justice if it walked up and shook their blasted hand!" she finished her skin turning bright orange.

"You're slipping," said Ranma.

Rei blinked and looked at her hand. "Great, does this mean that you start trying to blast me like my future self did at the shrine?"

"Neither Venus nor I were happy when we were able to pry additional information out of Mercury and Mars regarding what happened," said Serenity. She then sighed. "Ranma, I need to ask this. What exactly is going on with Mistress 9 and her host?"

"Ranma has been training me to generate more ki so our relationship can become a symbiotic one rather than parasitic," said Mistress 9 scowling. "It's not like she planned this." Mistress 9 then closed her eyes and after a moment reopened them. "I asked my host to let me address you directly," said Mistress 9 her voice sounding lower and more mature than moments ago. "An accident caused by my host's father attracted Pharaoh 90 to this world from his native world in the Tau Ceti system and he made an offer; in return for providing access to this world I was to reanimate his just killed daughter."

Mistress 9 scowled again. "I was supposed to be animating a soulless corpse but her soul hadn't left yet and I would up tied to it and that triggered an ability to heal others. However the people around her treated her so badly she was trying to embrace the Silence on nearly a weekly basis. During a particularly bad encounter I pushed myself forward, found myself helpless, and then somehow tapped the future Wiseman's Jakokusuishou using it in place of the power I was originally supposed to have gained from Pharaoh 90 if this body had been the soulless husk it was supposed to be. Though him I found Pharaoh 90 considered me the same way as I had my host—a tool to be used and discarded. I also found Wiseman's power to be very similar to that of myself and Pharaoh 90, and he had a method that would allow me to be in this body for decades rather than burning it out in a few years. The choice was obvious, with Wiseman I had a chance of survival but with Pharaoh 90 I had none."

"We finally got around to looking into why the energy was similar when my futureself essentially collapsed from exhaustion," said Ranma. "It was yin energy generated not from the Jakokusuishou but from the Ginzuishou and it was 12,000 years old."

Neo-Queen Serenity started shaking her head mouthing the word 'no' over and over again.

"The youma said the energy was similar to the being that has kept Beryl alive all these centuries but even with the Mercury computer I couldn't confirm that," said Ami. "I _could_ show that Pharaoh 90's Tau Ceti claim was a lie as it would have taken 12 years for light to have reached the system and baring any form of FTL travel 12 years for him to get here."

"FTL?" asked the future Jupiter.

"Faster than Light," said Ami. "Normally nothing can go faster than the speed of light in a particular medium. That means Pharaoh 90 had to be close by when the explosion happened."

"When Ami informed me of this, I realized that while I believed I came from a Tau Ceti world I couldn't recall one thing about it. Not one blasted detail," said Mistress 9 with a calm fury.

"We don't have all the details and given the passage of time involved we may never know all the facts but one thing is certain," said Ranma. "The Metalia creature that has kept Beryl alive all these centuries and Pharaoh 90 both have ties to the last battle of the Moon Kingdom. Now as to what those ties are…I have no more clue than my future-self Purple Wiseman does."

"Are you telling me my mother, Queen Serenity, created that Pharaoh 90 thing?" screeched Neo-Queen Serenity.

"While it may look that way we are not sure," admitted Ranma. "There are a host of things that point elsewhere."

"Like the fact my memory and Pluto's are both blanks for that period of time and the Time Gates can't see anything of that event?" asked Luna.

"That coupled with the fact that someone had to move Luna and Pluto to this universe from their own indicates that whatever survived the last war of the Moon Kingdom is responsible." said Sailor Moon in a total monotone.

Neo-Queen Serenity blinked. "Ooookaaaay, now I know what Mercury meant by 'wrong'; I never talked like that." Neo-Queen looked at Ranma scowling. "Since it is becoming painfully clear that Mercury and Mars at best only knew part of what was going on, how about you fill me on a few details. You can start with why my past-self is talking like an even more withdrawn version of Mercury."

"Your inquiry is based on the incorrect assumption that I _am_ your past-self," said Sailor Moon her voice totally monotonic. "Taro decided the best way to test the Jusenkyo water he had was to pour it on us. This resulted in Tsukino Usagi and myself being split into two separate people."

"The problem was it didn't interact well with Moon Millennium magic," said Ranma. "This Sailor Moon is nothing more than the powers given human form and consciousness. Tsukino Usagi kept all the emotions but had none of the power."

"I think I am seeing where this is going," said Neo-Queen Serenity. "So somebody came up with the bright idea of using Pool of Drowned Youma on Usagi to fix this problem," said Neo-Queen Serenity shaking her head.

"She was supposed to choose if to use the cask not stubble into the blasted thing," said Pluto's voice right behind Neo-Queen Serenity.

Neo-Queen Serenity jumped and spun around glaring at the person behind her. "Pluto!" she hissed.

"Not anymore. I am now Chronos Aeon, the Guardian of the Time Gates. I am part of the Grey Moon Clan not some Kingdom that died 12,000 years ago in another universe," Chronos Aeon said scowling.

"Chronos Aeon?" asked Ranma.

"Pluto and his Greek counterpart Hades were gods of the underworld," explained Chronos Aeon. "I just didn't like that association and decided on the Greek personification of time Chronos for the family name and Aeon meaning 'long time' or 'Age' for the given name. I think this better fits my position; don't you agree, Black Wiseman?"

"I don't care _what_ you call yourself, what I want to know why you thought using a pool that turned us into what we were fighting was a good idea," fumed Neo-Queen Serenity. "While we are at is what is with this Black Wiseman and Grey Moon Clan stuff?"

"It was clear that Sailor Moon would no longer be able to lead the Sailor Senshi. The only viable option for a relatively quick power up without her living Ranma's life was Spring of Drowned Youma. In testing the water I discovered that my power up worked in youma form," grinned Chronos Aeon as her skin turned deep green causing both Jupiter and Neo-Queen Serenity to take a reflexive step backwards.

"Usagi decided to create something that was half way between your idealistic Crystal Tokyo and specter Wiseman's pragmatic Black Moon Clan," said Sailor Moon in her monotonic voice. "The name changes are a logical way to separate her creation from your two specter groups."

Luna took several steps toward Ranma clearly nervous. "Ranma…I mean Black Wiseman, this Sailor Moon is creeping me out," Luna said.

"With good reason," said Ranma his expression unreadable with the hood over his head. "Not only is her voice devoid of human emotion but her movements are becoming less human and more, I guess I would have to say, mechanical."

"Wicked Lady said your Cleansing you turned ever man, woman, and child on Earth into what Sailor Moon is—an emotionless human robot," said Ami pointing to Sailor Moon. "Knowing I helped you turn very person on Earth into _that_ and that my own future-self and Rei's were trigger happy, racist, egotistical, paranoid undead maniacs it is any wonder I used the Pool of Drowned Youma?" asked Ami as tears started running down her face. "I want to be a doctor not a dictator and if changing into a youma part of the time prevents me from being the later that is a price I am fully willing to pay."

Ranma nodded in understanding. "Makoto used the water so she could have a family again. You used it to become a better doctor. Rei, perhaps you can explain to the Queen of Crystal Tokyo why you choose to use the water."

"What?" whimpered Neo-Queen Serenity. "Are you telling me you _all_ used the Pool of Drowned Youma and became what you are fighting?"

"Hold it right there, Meatball Head," retorted Rei. "We used the Pool of Drowned _Youma_ not Pool of Drowned Queen Beryl. Your past-self chewed me out for trying to attack a youma simply because it was a youma rather then on what it was doing. I realized later that I was becoming just like the totally trigger happy bigoted psycho that tried to take a pot shot at Purple Wiseman in a crowd and I wanted no part of that future."

"So what happens next?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity angrily. "Turn all of the Sailor Senshi into Youma Senshi?"

"Not at all," commented Ranma. "Sailor Saturn chose to remain as she is and we still have Sailor Venus to make her choice." Ranma shrugged. "She may choose to remain human. The Grey Moon clan doesn't really care about the race of its members, only their wiliness to embrace the code of the clan as a way of life."

"And what code is that?" asked Saeko curious.

"Protect and be willing to train those weaker than yourself while learning and following the teachings of Sun Tzu. Always be on the look out for new ideas and techniques that can be used for the good of the clan and its goals," said Ranma.

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned memories of just why Ranma had been the Sailor Senshi's most difficult foe came back. It had not simply been a matter of skill but that his goals were so similar to the Senshi's own. Fighting world conquering happy maniacs like Beryl was one thing; fighting someone whose goals were very similar to your own was something else.

"What is your role in all this?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"I am the Advisor of the clan," said Ranma. "It is my duty and responsibility to inform the clan head of details they have missed, forgotten, or may be unaware of."

"Clan head? You mean king or queen," said future Jupiter.

Ranma laughed. "Hardly. Any fool can claim the tile of Queen or King. The position of clan head is based on achievement and merit not on the luck of finding some magical boost."

"Well said, Black Wiseman," said the reptilian youma moving beside Ranma. "Beryl may call herself Queen but she is nothing but food that doesn't know its place. If not for that Metalia being we would have pulled her off that throne of hers and taken turns using her as our plaything centuries ago."

"In case either of you two get any stupid ideas about trying to attack Rept, I can put up a Silence Wall up before you finish casting your attacks," said Mistress 9 her thumb rubbing the glaive she was holding.

"Mistress 9 is right to worry; my mother is to well intentioned but stupid ideas as Genma is to greedy but stupid ideas," said Wicked Lady.

"In my father's case that should be greedy _and_ stupid ideas," commented Ranma, "but point made."

"Neo Queen Serenity, it is not just us you have issues with," said Sailor Moon her monotonic voice now sending chills down Neo-Queen Serenity's spine. "When the specter of Wiseman found out my condition was like the people you cleansed he became quite upset."

"Kuso," said Ranma. "I just realized something," he continued giving a forced laugh. "Who remembers Purple Wiseman's exact words on the Cleansing when he figured out what it actually did?"

Wicked Lady promptly paled. "He said 'if your mother doesn't undo this so help me I swear upon my honor as a martial artist I am going to show her _exactly_ when happened to Sa Fulang in our first battle with her in the role of Sa Fulang.'"

Neo-Queen Serenity paled and her eyes widened as she looked at Ranma. "But you killed Sa Fulang in your first battle with him," she whispered.

Ranma sighed. "Not me but the Ranma of your world your time did. Neo-Queen Serenity, you have got to realize just how far you have pushed this with Purple Wiseman and the Black Moon Clan." Ranma removed his hood his face devoid of his trademark smirk. "This isn't Ryoga going 'Ranma, prepare to die'; this is a future version of me saying that if you don't undo your stupidity _he will kill you_."

Ranma folded his arms. "That is not an egotistical boast. By Purple Wiseman's account it took your Pluto doing something underhanded to end the war you had with him and he has continued to improve his skills since then. Given your utopia world I would hazard what skill you did acquire has shrunk to near nothing from non-use. If you could at best fight him to a standstill 1,000 years ago what will the outcome be this time around be, especially if he gets in a 'screw this, let's just kill the airheaded nitwit and be done with it' mode?"

Neo-Queen Serenity's bottom lip quivered as she looked at her daughter. Wicked Lady shook her head as she pulled out the Ginzuishou. "I know what you are thinking and like it or not the Black Moon Clan is my family now. Even if Purple Wiseman is right and the Ginzuishou is messing up my perceptions thanks to all the yin ki now in it, I know what you have done to the people of Earth in our time is wrong on too many levels."

"Damn it, if Mars and Mercury had only told me when they found out instead of setting on this for 800 years…" Neo-Queen Serenity began ranting.

"Why would they, mother?" asked Wicked Lady gesturing to the Ginzuishou. "May I remind you that you actually considered using this to Cleanse _me_ of my 'evil' thoughts many centuries later. Perhaps they knew if they told you that you would try to 'fix' things and make them worse."

"She tried to do what?" bellowed the voice of Genma causing everyone to look at him.

"Oh, look who is back in the world of the conscious, more or less; though in his case how can you tell?" quipped Wicked Lady.

Genma looked at Wicked Lady his scowl changing to a frown. "I guess my eagerness to train the boy and seeking the easy path to do so does warrant that comment." Genma then scowled as his gaze returned to Neo-Queen Serenity. "But neither excuse what _you_ did."

"What _I_ did?" retorted Neo-Queen Serenity. "Saotome Genma, considering your son's description of your idea on training you are the one person who has no right to criticize me."

"On the contrary, I am the one person who has every right to criticize you because when you get right down to it you and I are the same," said Genma.

"THE SAME?" exploded Neo-Queen Serenity. "HOW DARE YOU!"

"How dare I?" retorted Genma as he advanced on Neo-Queen Serenity. "Damn right I dare. Wasn't turning me into a pathetic salary man enough? You tried to use a magical rock that you clearly had no idea how to properly control on your own flesh and blood and the consequences be damned. Tell me Neo-Queen Hypocrite, how that is anyway different than my teaching the boy the Neo-ken?"

Neo-Queen Serenity opened and closed her month in shock like a goldfish.

"If anything you are worse because you knew what the Cleansing did. It turned everyone you used the damn thing on into that," finished Genma pointing to Sailor Moon.

Ranma walked up beside his father his hand coming to rest on Genma's shoulder. "I never thought I would say this but on this Pops is totally right. Though decking her is not a good idea, Pops."

"That obvious?" asked Genma.

"That obvious," replied Ranma, "besides Queen Airhead doesn't know martial arts."

Genma's gaze shifted to Sailor Jupiter. "Is she like the others?"

"If you mean like her Venus, yes," said Ranma wincing. "No active ki what so ever. The only ki in her body is what is flowing into it from the surrounding area."

Genma nodded as he frowned in thought. "That means unlike Makoto, _she_ can't improve in terms of martial arts."

Ranma blinked and looked at Genma an expression of shocked realization on his face as the voice of Tsukino Ikuko cried out.

"Usagi, please come home," pleased Tsukino Ikuko as she ran up to Neo-Queen Serenity. "We're sorry we didn't try to listen to what Wiseman and Mistress 9 were trying to tell us and caused you to run away," continued the woman grasping Neo-Queen Serenity's hands.

"Ikuko, that is no more Tsukino Usagi then Wiseman is me," said Ranma sadly.

Ikuko turned a puzzled expression on her face. "What?"

"What my ancestor is trying to awkwardly say is that is Neo-Queen Serenity who you are currently talking to," said Prince Demando.

"You know, the one your husband called an egotistical psychotic vigilante," said Sailor Moon in her calm monotone.

"Oh yeh, and he called Queen Beryl a power crazy world conquer happy nut job," commented Ranma.

"Actually he called Queen Beryl a power crazy megalomaniac," said Sailor Moon.

"There's a difference?" asked Ranma.

"Technically no but…" started Sailor Moon.

"Are you saying the woman who had our daughter terrified out of her wits enough to run away from home is her own future?" asked Ikuko stunned.

"My older self tried to explain this before," replied Ranma scowling. "You and your husband were too busy screaming like a pair of total maniacs about him and the Black Moon Clan endangering your daughter to really listen. Now as I see it..." was all Ranma got about before Ikuko turned around and grabbed Neo-Queen Serenity by the ear and twisted it.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady," said Ikuko as Neo-Queen Serenity started to plead with her mother about the pain she was getting from her ear as she was dragged back to the Tendo back yard.

"Ok, if Neo-Queen Serenity's mom is this pissed off with her antics why didn't she step in sooner and stop this nonsense?" asked a somewhat stunned Ranma.

"Because she died with all the remaining families of the Sailor Senshi thanks to Snow Princess Kaguya and Pharaoh 90," said Sailor Jupiter scowling at Mistress 9.

"Did we raise you so poorly that once we were gone you turned into some form of will draining conquer the world maniac?" asked Ikuko tears now running down her face still holding Neo-Queen Serenity's ear.

"Grandma, I don't think this is what the term 'having the ear of the Queen' means," said Wicked Lady nervously.

Ikuko looked at Wicked Lady a puzzled expression again on her face. "Grandma?"

"Remember the part about Neo-Queen Serenity's daughter coming back in time to fix a problem she had?" asked Ranma. "Well, this is the daughter," he said gesturing with his thumb.

Ikuko frowned looking Wicked Lady over and then back at Neo-Queen Serenity. "You treated your own daughter do badly that she thought you didn't love her causing her to run away through time?" Ikuko bellowed.

"What do you know she did actually listen to what little my older-self got out even if she did mess up on the details," remarked Ranma sarcastically.

Ikuko turned and shot Ranma a dirty look. "What do you mean I got the details wrong?"

"Why don't we go through this again and this time you listen." Ranma then glanced to the side. "Rept, go Furinkan High School and tell Purple Wiseman and Usagi what is going on. With the way things are going I think we may have to move up the meeting."

"Furinkan High School?" bellowed Ikuko. "What is my daughter doing in that madhouse?"

Ranma winced. "I think you better hurry."

**~*~*****Furinkan High School*****~*~**

Usagi blinked as a girl looking about the same age as Mistress 9's host sat a stack of books on the desk and wrote the name Ninomiya Hinako on the board.

"Hello class, I'm Ninomiya Hinako. The principle hired me to teach you and deal with the delinquents that have been causing problems."

"Isn't that the name of the person who changed age by draining ki?" Usagi asked Wiseman.

"Yep," said Wiseman as the door slammed open revealing a youma in human form.

"Queen Eclipse, Purple Wiseman, you are needed at the Tendo Dojo," said the youma.

Hinako scowled pulling out a coin. "Who are you and what are you doing interrupting my class?"

The youma turned and cocked its head. "I'm Rept prospective member of the Grey Moon Clan. I didn't mean to intrude on your feeding grounds but this is important to the welfare of my clan."

"Feeding grounds?" asked Usagi standing.

"It's a part of youma etiquette to avoid needless conflicts and battles," said Wiseman standing. "This particular one in altered form survives into my time."

Hinako turned to Wiseman now frowning. "Your time?"

"I am Saotome Ranma as he would be in one future some 1,000 years from now," said Wiseman. "It appears that we have family issues back home that require out attention."

Hinako nodded clearly not happy. "You two may go."

As the threesome left the school grounds Usagi glanced over to Wiseman. "I thought you said Ninomiya-senshi was human."

"She was powering up her ki draining technique; the amount of ki she was generating in that coin made reading her personal ki difficult if not impossible."

Rept stopped in shock. "That was a human?"

Wiseman and Usagi looked at each other and chuckled. "Welcome to Nerima ward." They then grabbed the still stunned Rept and continued on to the dojo.

**~*~*****Nerima**** Ward*~*~**

Chiba Mamoru roof hopped the buildings of Nerima in his identity as Tuxedo Mask concerned that his ability to sense the Sailor Senshi being in danger seemed scrambled. Glancing down he nearly slammed into a wall at what he was seeing—a human and youma walking down the street and not one person reacting to the situation. Carefully moving down he tried to see if he could overheard anything.

"Did you like it, Orana?" asked the human.

"Yes, Taro," replied the youma in a voice that sounded nearly like a purr as it ran her hand down the human's chest. "The Grey Moon Clan will be so impressed with you."

"Kunzite didn't seem impressed," said Taro.

Orana snorted. "He still supports the boosted bitch Beryl who did nothing to earn her station. I much prefer Queen Eclipse's attitude who even as clan head feels she needs to prove herself. That is what my old Doom and Gloom Girl Clan needed, not some human who felt she could sit around for nearly 12,000 years giving orders just because some energy being boosted her powers."

"Still the 'build an empire this world has never seen' claim is a tall order," said Taro. "I would feel a litter more comfortable about the sweeping away Beryl and the remnants of Moon Kingdom statements if I knew a little more about them."

"Ah yes, the concept of knowing your enemy as well as you know yourself," replied Orana. "There are times I feel like a fool," her voice less jovial as the couple turned down a street. "Here I was treating all humans as food when there were such wondrous potential mates such as you," Orana finished as she stopped in front of one house. "Well here we are, my mate."

"This…this is the Tendo Dojo," said Taro

"Hello Taro, I see Orana has chosen you a mate," said a male voice.

Taro spun around. "Femboy?"

"And friends," said Usagi her face a blank mask.

"You're…you're."

"The girl who you dumped the Spring of Drowned Twins on," said Usagi stoically who then hugged Taro laughing. "Thank you."

"Thank you?" repeated Taro.

Usagi giggled as she opened the gate. "If not for you Pluto would have never gone for the Spring of Drowned Youma. Right, Wiseman, Rept?"

"Of course," said the second girl smiling.

"Definitely," said Wiseman.

Usagi took two steps through the gates then her eyes widened. Her eyes narrowing she broke into a run.

"Kuso, I am getting sloppy, how the hell did I miss her?" said Wiseman.

"Miss who?" asked Rept.

"Neo-Queen Serenity I presume," said Usagi her skin turning a whitish grey.

"Usagi?" asked the voice of Ikuko.

"Mom?" asked Usagi surprised as she turned.

"Usagi, what in the world did you did to yourself?"

"You really did it," said Neo-Queen Serenity taking a step back. "I didn't want to believe it but you really did turn yourself into a youma. Are you that frightened of me?"

"All she needs is to look at her Sailor Moon and see the bright new future you have planned, mother," said Wicked Lady. "Regardless of how messed up my perceptions are you thanks to all the yin energy I have picked up I know one thing is true: no matter how well intentioned it was, what you did was wrong."

"But I thought I created a perfect world," cried Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Perfect worlds only exist in dreams," said Wiseman shaking his head. "That was always the difference between us—you were the idealist while I was the pragmatist." Wiseman chuckled. "The ironic thing is we were both forced into positions neither of us desired. Forces beyond our control made us into what we are."

"That is true of all living things," said Sailor Moon in a cold monotone. "What you do with the results is what is important."

"Sailor Moon, are you alright?" asked Tuxedo Mask jumping down.

"Tuxedo Mask, the stranger whose idea of help is to throw roses and make speeches," said Sailor Moon in her cold monotone. "Combat prowess: unknown."

"Uhhh, you sure that was Spring of Drowned Twins I had and not Spring of Creepy Robotic Double?" asked Taro nervously.

Ranma and Wiseman both face palmed.

"Taro, this really wasn't the time to bring that up," said Ranma.

"Hoof and mouth disease in freaking sequence," groaned Wiseman.

Ikuko slowly turned to face Taro anger burning in her eyes. "So you are the Taro person who is responsible for using my daughter as if she a test subject."

Orana cocked her head. "Your daughter seemed happy about the situation."

Ikuko blinked and slowly turned to her daughter. "What?"

"I was seriously wondering if I should even continue being Sailor Moon after meeting this," Usagi said scowling at Neo-Queen Serenity, "But I continued because I didn't see any other options. Taro may have done what he did out of selfishness but it did cause Pluto to go and get the cask of water. It wasn't her fault that I stumbled into the thing."

Rei shook her head. "I'm sorry, but it seems so strange to hear that kind of calm reasoned response out of you."

Usagi smiled sadly. "Seeing Neo-Queen Serenity, losing the ability to become Sailor Moon, becoming a part time youma that resulted in future versions of my best friends trying to blow my head off forced me to grow up. I have to treat this seriously because Neo-Queen Serenity and her messed up future is the result if I don't."

Neo-Queen Serenity took another step back as if slapped resulting in Jupiter comforting Usagi. "And your idea of treating this seriously is to turn into and ally with the very forces we are supposed to be fighting?" asked Jupiter.

"What the blazes is wrong with you?" exploded Usagi. "The way you are talking you make it sound like we are going to give this world to Queen Beryl on a silver platter. Get it through your thick skulls—youma are living thinking beings with as much right to life as humans!" Usagi screamed. "They are only our enemies because they for so long thought Beryl was their only hope of survival." Usagi then gestured to the Black Moon Clan. "Purple Wiseman and his future show that with the right mindset humans and youma _can_ coexist. If you don't get out of this 'the only good youma is a dead youma' mindset fast you won't have to worry about Purple Wiseman killing you because when I am done with you there won't be anything for him to worry about!" finished Usagi the nails on her right hand growing three inches long.

Ranma frowned and grabbed Usagi's hand by the wrist. "'He who is quick tempered can be insulted,' so says Sun Tzu," he said.

Usagi blinked and nodded as she looked at Ranma's hand holding her wrist. "Thank you, Advisor Black Wiseman." Usagi lowered her head in thought. "In your time you consider the Sailor Senshi your family, don't you?"

"Of course," said Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Purple Wiseman, what are the most important aspects of a family?" asked Usagi.

"Love, respect, honesty,…and trust," he said meaningfully not realizing both Genma and Nodoka had winced on the final word.

Usagi looked up straight into Neo-Queen Serenity's eyes. "I would hazard you never trusted your original families to tell them what was really going on. With that foundation how could you trust each other when you became a family?"

Neo-Queen Serenity's eyes widened as she took a step back.

"That is why we are having a meeting with our families present tonight," said Usagi scowling. "No more needless secrets, no more half truths, no more lies, in short, no more behaving like we are better versions of Genma."

Neo-Queen Serenity's mouth hung open for a moment. She then covered her face with her hands and ran from the Tendo compound crying. Jupiter looked at Usagi frowning. "How could you do that to her? She is your own future."

"Not any more," said Usagi.

Still frowning the future Jupiter turned and ran after her Queen.

"Mom, that could have gone better," said Wicked Lady.

Usagi sighed her shoulders slumping as she shook her head. "With the preconceptions she had going into this I wonder if there was any other way it could have gone. It just hurts knowing that she could have been my future."

Rept came over and dropping her human disguise put her arm around Usagi causing Ikuko to reflectively step back and Tuxedo Mask to tense. "But _your_ future is still yours, Eclipse."

Usagi looked at Rept while putting her hand over the youma's. "You're right, Rept." Usagi turned toward her mother and smiled. "It's all right, mom. This is Rept a potential candidate to the Grey Moon Clan. She wouldn't knowingly hurt me."

"No, I wouldn't willing hurt the head of the clan I intend to be part of," said Rept, "especially one that wants to prove herself rather than simply claiming a title."

"Prove or improve?" asked Ranma grinning.

Usagi giggled. "Good pun."

Ikuko let out a sigh. "I think you better bring us all up to date as to what is going on."

Ranma sighed. "That was what the meeting tonight was supposed to address. We wanted to avoid some of the many mistakes that happened in my life by bringing this whole thing good, bad, and problematic out into the open to all the families involved as much as possible."

"To paraphrase an old adage, 'no plan survives contact with Nerima,'" said Wiseman chuckling.

"I take it everyone else decided to stay at the school," stated Ranma.

"Actually Rept only specifically asked for Purple Wiseman and me," said Usagi.

"Ahh, that explains it," said Ranma nodding. Ranma then gestured to Ami's mother. "Rept, this is Saeko, Honor Guard Ami's mother; she is a human healer."

Rept nodded her head smiling. "Excellent. Healers are rare and therefore highly desired clan members. Given Purple Wiseman's Black Moon Clan I don't see that it will be difficult to teach her how to heal youma which in turn will facilitate Honor Guard Ami's desire to become a healer herself."

"This is Ikuko, your potential clan head's mother," continued Ranma.

Rept's smile didn't waver. "You have the same attitude toward Neo-Queen Serenity as Eclipse does. I approve."

"Eclipse?"

"The name I chose as clan head to help confuse Beryl," explained Usagi.

"Before this goes any further shouldn't we have Honor Guard Rei's family here?" asked Rept.

Rei looked down sadly. "My mother died when I was young and the only time I see my father is on my birthday. My grandfather is the only real family I have and given his Shinto training he may have a hard time accepting this."

"We have two of the three girls with families here might as well have the third," said Ranma.

"I'll go get him," said Sa Fulang. "The Sailor Senshi likely don't remember me and they certainly won't know my female form."

"Ok, I'll help Kasumi make snacks," said Ranma.

~*~*Author's comments*~*~

This was more of a resolve some plot danglers and set up new threads chapter than anything else.


	11. Chap 11 The Youma Queen

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 11 – The Youma Queen

Sailor Pluto opened her eyes and sat up—and quickly regretted it.

"Easy, you have been out cold for over a week," said a male voice.

Sailor Pluto looked over and saw the familiar features of the king of Earth. "King Endymion? Where is the Queen?"

"In the past."

"What? Oh, my younger-self must have given her access. Whatever hit me must be a major threat to the time stream."

"Your younger-self was trying to contact you. She was quite livid regarding something about ten people from our time being in hers, two Sailor Senshi she had never even heard of showing up, Sailor Saturn being awake…."

"Sailor SATURN awake?!" yelled Pluto as she stood up…and instantly regretted it. King Endymion holding her was the only thing that kept her from falling on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Plenty, if Sailor Saturn is awake in the past," said Pluto. "What was this about Sailor Senshi I had never heard of though?"

"She said something about a Sailor Nemesis and a Sailor Black Moon."

Pluto frowned. "Nemesis _is_ the outer most planet of the solar system but it wasn't formally part of the Moon Kingdom but I have no memory of any world called or meaning Black Moon."

"You past-self said one more thing that didn't make too much sense at the time. Something about our present no longer being a viable future for her world."

Pluto looked at King Endymion concern in her features. "That would mean that actions in the past do not effect the present and that history is a branching tree rather than a straight line. It also means that Crystal Tokyo is not viable as a future for that world. I have got to contact my younger-self and find out what is going on back there."

~*~*Present time, Tendo Dojo*~*~

"Look, I know you all want to protect us but the fact is there is nowhere to really hide," said Usagi firmly.

"She's right," said Wicked Lady. "From what my mother said of them either Princess Snow Kaguya or Pharaoh 90 alone is enough to threaten the entire world. There is literally nowhere to hide and these threats are not going to go away."

"As shown by the daimon Rei fought, my father is likely trying to gather the three items needed to help bring Pharaoh 90 to Earth even though the optimum time isn't for another two years," said Mistress 9.

"The pure heart crystal I put back was literally a mass of ki," said Rei. "If I hadn't returned it…" Rei shuttered.

Mistress 9 frowned. "There has to be more to it than that. There are supposedly objects hidden within three of those crystals."

"Pity we can't examine one of these pure heart crystals," said Ranma.

"Who says we can't?" asked Sailor Moon.

Ranma looked over at Sailor Moon. "You heard Rei. These things have so much of a person's ki that if it isn't returned quickly they die."

"I have ki but I am not really alive," pointed out Sailor Moon. "You could remove my pure heart crystal and…"

"Bad idea," interrupted Ranma, "very bad idea. We have no idea what doing that would do to you."

"It wouldn't work anyhow," said Mistress 9 shaking her head. "A pure heart crystal is more than simply concentrated ki; it is also the emotional focus of that person. Since Sailor Moon has no emotions it follows that she doesn't have a pure heart crystal."

Sailor Moon nodded. "Then logically I should be the first one to engage future daimons as they are less able to effect me."

Ranma chuckled. "She's got us there, but back to the point at hand. We know that the Sailor Senshi had the power to stop these threats but not the knowledge on how to stop them effectively. We can give them that allowing them to shut down Beryl, those who still follow her, and what will come after her more efficiently then Neo-Queen Serenity and company did."

"By more efficiently I assume you mean using the advice of Sun Tzu as opposed to our old methods of stumbling around and hoping we find a new Sailor Senshi or I discover a power Luna doesn't remember," said Usagi causing Luna to wince.

Rei frowned slightly. "I have never seen you take anything this seriously."

"I have to take this seriously," replied Usagi. "Neo-Queen Serenity didn't and the result was disastrous for all concerned."

"Speaking of mom," said Wicked Lady frowning, "I wonder if she didn't accidentally do something to Pluto to where she _wasn't_ lying to us."

"Huh?" asked Ranma.

"I don't believe Pluto could pull off a 700 plus year façade. My mother mentioned that after her battle with Beryl the Ginzuishou give her and her friends a normal life and that they had to rediscover their Sailor Senshi identities when the aliens showed up."

"I think I get what she is getting at," said Ami. "For that to work it would require their memories of the previous year to have been altered."

"By the kami in heaven," said Usagi her eyes wide as dinner plates, "That would also explain how people who had loss relatives could be happy—they likely don't even remember those relatives even existed."

"What if something happened after mother sent Ranma to Nemesis to where she hit the memory reset button again but botched it so Pluto believed she couldn't leave the Time Gates?"

"Interesting theory and if it happened shortly after King Pendragon contacted Nemesis we might have not noticed any fluctuations in the magical barrier around the planet," said Wiseman in a thoughtful tone.

Wicked Lady rubbed the bottom of her lip in thought. "That would put it right around my birth if that is when it happened."

"It might have been a response to her desire to have a family for all we know," said Usagi scowling. "It's not like the blasted Ginzuishou comes with an instruction manual. But one thing is clear we have got to find this time period's version of it before Beryl does."

"Definitely," said Wiseman, "We have seen what that thing does in the hands of an idealist idiot that did _not_ want to conquer the world. I have no desire to see what it would do in the hands of egomaniacal nutcase like Beryl."

"This power would explain how Beryl thought she could ignore the military reality of Earth and simply reclaim it," said Rept.

"That assumes she could control it any better than my future-self could," snorted Usagi. "I don't think Beryl even cares if she can even use it much less control it properly."

"True and _that_ makes Beryl even more dangerous than Neo-Queen Serenity," said Zoisite.

Wicked Lady pulled out her Ginzuishou and looked at it. "Mom said that the Ginzuishou was composed of seven rainbow crystals and that in their efforts to get them the Dark Kingdom started turning humans into youma."

"That is not correct," said Zoisite firmly. "In the final battle of the Moon Kingdom the Ginzuishou fragmented into seven pieces each piece sealing one of the Daiyōma within. The Daiyōma have since been reincarnated as humans."

"The Daiyōma were the most powerful and respected of all youma," said Rept a tone of awe in her voice.

Usagi promptly paled and pulled out a small wand with a crescent moon on the end that started beeping and its crystal flashing. "Oh no, what have I done?! I thought they were humans possessed by youma. What did my so called healing do to them?! I've got to fix what ever I have done."

"Calm down, Usagi," said Ranma. "Remember Sun Tzu's warning: 'he who is reckless can be killed.' We can't just jump in to fix one thing without knowing what happened to begin with less we make things worse. By the way why _is_ that thing beeping and its crystal flashing?"

"Your right, Ranma," said Usagi. "We have only encountered two of these Daiyōma so we know what not to do with the remaining five but that still leaves the issue of what we can do. Rept, I need some information so I have an alternative other than using this blasted thing," Usagi said lifting the Moon Stick. "Especially as given the way the Moon Stick is behaving there is one right here."

Ranma watched as Usagi slowly moved the Moon Stick pointing it at each person in the group until it was beeping and flashing like crazy. Looking up he blinked. "That's Rei's Grandfather."

Zoisite pulled out a black crystal. "This will release the rainbow crystal but I have noticed that the youma awakened this way have only marginal memories of their human lives."

"We have the alternative of using the Spring of Drowned Youma that may allow him to integrate his past life of a youma with his current one as a human," said Usagi scowling.

Rei's Grandfather looked thoughtfully at his daughter. "If Rei is willing to do this to protect people I don't see why I can't."

"Grandfather, be sure about this. Once you use the water there is no way back," said Rei. "You will forever be part of two worlds."

Rei's Grandfather smiled as he grasped her hand. "I am sure about this."

Ranma nodded and walked over to a small new building next to the dojo with two portable showers next to it, one with a red and white curtain and the other with a grey curtain. "We set this up to make things easier. It uses a hand squeeze pump to get the water out of the cask; the pan at the bottom allows us to put the water back in the cask." Ranma tapped the shower with the red and white curtain. "Spring of Drowned Girl." He then tapped the shower with the grey curtain. "Spring of Drowned Youma."

Rei's Grandfather walked up but Ranma blocked him. "Last chance to change your mind."

"You said that in a previous life I was a youma and if this Rainbow Crystal is removed I could go nuts. At least this way I have a way to control that past life."

Ranma nodded as he stepped aside and Rei's Grandfather stepped into the shower and squeezed the pump.

Everyone watched as the small man changed into youma with dark blue skin except for the face which was orange in color and framed by a lion head like mane of hair. Around his wrists and ankles were yellow bands a lighter color than his eyes. A band of fur around his neck gave the impression of a make shift cape.

"That is Jiji," said Zoisite calmly.

Rei's Grandfather stepped forward and put his hand to his belly.

"Grandfather?"

"So hungry," he said. "It hurts."

Usagi generated a ball white ki with a gold tone and stepping up put her hand on the monk turned youma.

"Better," he said. "Much better," he continued as he straightened up.

"Ranma, Wiseman, something wrong," said Usagi frowning. "This is taking way too much ki compared to the others."

"There is something inside him draining the ki," said Wiseman. "It looks like…a crystal."

"Of course, the Rainbow crystals were intended to seal the youma," said Ami.

"Zoisite, get that thing out of him!" yelled Usagi. "It's starting to drain the ki faster than I can provide it."

"Zoi!" commanded Zoisite the black crystal causing a black circle to form on the monk and an indigo crystal appeared and flew to Zoisite.

"Don't touch that crystal!" warned Wiseman. "Not only is it infused with much of the ki Usagi was providing but that has awakened the passive ki in it."

Zoisite gestured and the indigo crystal stopped hovering between her hands. Wiseman scowled as he examined the crystal.

"I take it by passive ki you mean the kind of ki your clan puts into crystals," said Ranma.

"Something like that," said Wiseman. "Like all form of energy ki flows from high to low; normally any object in proximity to people will pick up the ki those people give off. It can be gradual such as ceremonies on a holy site or shrine or massive influx such as a battle or our techniques. The passive ki in this has both."

"I guess I don't have your skill as it looks like just one mass of ki to me," said Ranma.

"My centuries of experience allow me to examine the passive ki in objects to nearly the same degree I can active ki in living things," commented Wiseman. "The ki you are seeing is what Usagi put in Rei's grandfather. Below that is Death ki that I suspect is the product of the last battle of the Moon Kingdom, and below that is what looks like generations of ki build up."

"Why didn't you see that in Wicked Lady's Ginzuishou?" asked Rei.

"Perhaps it is because my future-self used it," commented Usagi.

Wiseman smiled. "That is exactly right. To access the power of that inner most layer she had to go through the death ki layer and that would have caused the layers to mix together." Wiseman then scowled. "The thing is that death ki layer scares me as it is larger than any amount of ki I have seen in my life. You could lose the entire population of Nemesis in that and have room for more."

"But Wiseman," said Prince Demondo paling, "There are over 100 million on Nemesis."

"I know," said Wiseman. "That is what scares me."

"Perhaps the Mercury computer can get a more accurate determination," said Ami. "Mercury Planet Make Up!"

Saeko frowned at the end of the transformation. "Ami," she said softly. "Did you know you were naked through part of that?"

"Of course I know and no, I do not like it," said Ami looking at the viewer in front of her. Ami's eyes then widened and she paled. "Dear Kami-sama in heaven," she said.

"Ami, what is it?" asked Usagi worried.

"Using our parents as a baseline the Mercury computer calculates that the Death ki in that crystal...is equal to nearly 9 times Earth's current population or roughly 40 billion people."

Wiseman's jaw dropped open his eyes blinking while the rest of the Black Moon Clan stared in shock.

"Ami, please tell me you dropped a decimal someplace," Usagi pleaded.

Ami continued to look at her visor. "I've run it three times and get the same answer."

Tuxedo Mask pulled two crystals from his outfit. "Perhaps Usagi's influx of ki is messing up the computer. These are the crystals I have obtained."

Ami narrowed her eyes and then widened them again. "No, her ki wasn't interfering. The Mercury computer says it would take the near instantaneous death of 120 billion people to account for the death ki required in these three crystals."

"There are seven crystals," said Sa Fulang clearly in shock. "That's 280 billion people!"

"That's insane!" exploded Usagi. "How the hell could 280 billion people died in what should have been a battle between the Moon and Earth? There is simply not enough room to have 280 billion people on both the Earth and the Moon!"

"The computer says none of the ki is from Earth, Pluto, or Nemesis though ki of all the other planets and Earth's moon is present."

"I always thought the Ginzuishou was a form of ki transformer..." started Wiseman who stopped his eyes widening. "Oh, no, Queen Serenity couldn't have been _that_ stupid!" he exclaimed.

"I know we are going to hate this but let's hear it," said Usagi frowning.

"Originally we thought the Dark Kingdom was another dimension but it turned out it was really like Mousse's hidden weapons technique," said Wiseman grimly.

"Wait a minute," said Mousse adjusting his glasses. "That takes ki to maintain."

"Yes and until now I had always thought Queen Serenity had used the latent ki stored in the Ginzuishou to create it but the latent ki of the Dark Kingdom doesn't resemble the inner layer at all; it is closer to the second death ki layer."

"But if the Dark Kingdom was created..." Usagi commented. "Ami, get a population break down of youma and humans on the planets of the Moon Kingdom. I had a very nasty thought."

"All the planets had human populations," said Ami after a short while.

"But it should..." Usagi slapped her head with her open hand, "Baka. Nemesis and Earth were_ not_ part of the Moon Kingdom."

Ami frowned and then her eyes widened. "Nemesis: 50 percent youma population. Earth: 85 percent youma."

"That means the old legends of Earth being our home are true," said Rept scowling.

Usagi shook her head. "Not _this_ Earth." Usagi then turned her attention to the reptilian youma. "I take it Beryl's title originally only had meaning with her human subjects."

Rept nodded. "According to the old legends it was because the ruling line had such large amounts of ki that they were nurtured and taken care of. In return for protection and the occasional feeding the youma allowed them to rule over the lesser humans."

"They were strong enough to be nurtured but not enough to be sought out as mates?" asked Ami.

"Occasionally you would get prime stock but it was a rarity," said Rept shrugging her shoulders. "Beryl used the fact that Prince Endymion was seeing Princess Serenity behind everyone's back to convince the youma of that time to attack the Moon. The legend differs as to the reasons presented—some say Beryl played on a long held fear that a prime food source could be lost if the magic using Moon Kingdom humans started interbreeding with the Earth royalty while others state that Beryl convinced that the Moon Kingdom was bent on the eradication of the youma race using the fact that no world of it had youma on them despite large human populations."

"But the Moon Kingdom was old when I was young," said Chronos Aeon. "Supposedly it was the order of 50,000 years old when the last battle happened. I don't understand how the youma of Earth could have believed Beryl's claims."

"It may have had nothing to do with them believing Beryl but fear that in some respect she might be right," said Genma causing everyone to look at the elderly martial artist. "In many respects I let fear dominate _my_ actions—fear of dying nearly destitute like my grandfather did at the end of WWII, fear of not measuring up to my father's expectations as a martial artist sensei, fear that if I didn't act _now_ someone else will take the brass ring that could have been mine. Perhaps they let fear govern their actions like I did."

Wiseman gave a soft chuckle. "Every so often you get it right, Pops."

Usagi frowned. "Wiseman, with all respect it can't be that simple."

"I suspect like Sun Tzu it both is and is not that simple," said Ranma.

"You mean how a saying can mean one thing on its own but when combined with another can have a different meaning?" asked Ami.

"Exactly," said Ranma. "Eclipse said that the Earth was not part of the Moon Kingdom but Chronos Aeon said that it was supposedly 50,000 years old. That indicates there were deep and I mean deep issues between the two worlds, issues Beryl no doubt played to."

"Makes sense and thanks for reminding me," said Usagi. "We really need to think up different code names in case any of Neo-Queen Serenity's happy group decides to use us for target practice."

"Pluto didn't like the alternative of Hades and I think the same is true for us. I just don't see the Greek names of the Roman gods working for us," said Ami. "Hermes, Ares, and Zeus just don't sound right; the first sounds like the corruption of the disease Herpes, the second is too close to Aries, an astrology sign, and the third is just too masculine. I pulled Thoth from Egyptian mythology for myself as he was god of wisdom and medicine. I think Rei will like the alternative name of Neith, the Egyptian goddess of war. For Makoto I decided on Amun who was connected to Jupiter when the Romans conquered Egypt."

Chronos Aeon frowned. "My future-self of Neo-Queen Serenity's time is trying to contact me."

"Want to use the Crystal Gates rather than go to the Time Gates?" asked Ranma.

"Yes, as it will give a buffer in case she decides to do something stupid." Chronos Aeon looked at her hand as her skin changed from green to more human tone. "That should help keep her calm as I can't see auras. Keep in ear shot though I may unwittingly make her paranoid enough to do something."

Ranma nodded and gestured to the dojo. Once inside Chronos gestured to the black crystal copies of the Time Gates and the doors were covered by gray smoke. "Hello, future-self," said Chronos scowling. "Finally woke up I see."

Pluto winced. "From your reaction I take it you already know the state of the timeline."

"If you mean that I know it likely won't lead to your future, yes," said Chronos. "I have noticed there are some things, well, _off_ about your time and my memories."

Pluto raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean _off_?"

"The Sailor Senshi believe that you and therefore I cannot leave the Time Gates." Chronos narrowed her eyes. "That is not correct."

"What do you mean that is not correct?" asked Pluto narrowing her eyes. "We are bound to the Time Gates."

"No we are not. The fact I am talking to you on Earth proves we are not," said Chronos scowling. "I also found out that this is not the universe of the Moon Kingdom."

"WHAT?!" screeched Pluto.

"Asked your Time Gate to show you the Mare Serenitatis as it was on your Earth's Moon 14,000 years ago," said Chronos calmly. "You will find the same thing I did—a desolate moon landscape devoid of air, atmosphere, and life."

Pluto's bottom lip quivered as King Endymion looked at Chronos frowning. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Endymion, I am sure," said Chronos scowling.

"I am _King_ Endymion," said the future version of Tuxedo Mask straightening up.

"In your future your world but not here and not now," Chronos gestured around her. "From what I have seen and learned of your world what you allowed the Princess to become is little better than Queen Beryl."

"WHAT?!" yelled King Endymion and Pluto.

"You heard me," continued Chronos. "Nitwit Queen Simpleton and her trusting friends tried to rebirth a long dead kingdom and best they were able to do was turn what part of humanity wasn't exiled to Nemesis into complaint sheep. None of us here in the past see that as any better than Queen Beryl's little ego trip."

King Endymion scowled. "Nitwit Queen Simpleton was the nickname Saotome Ranma always used for my wife."

"Saotome Ranma?!" yelled Pluto "You mean the hot headed womanizing egotistical jerk you told me about that Small Lady thought might be able to help her?!"

Ranma and Usagi were startled as Wiseman ran up to the dojo door glowing red and slid the door open with such force that it literally flew off its hinges. "Kuso," said Ranma as his future-self stormed into the dojo.

"Told you?" hissed a clearly angry Wiseman as he moved to stand beside Chronos who was nervously looking at him. "You met me face to face, Pluto," growled Wiseman pointing at the image of Pluto. "You told me if I didn't surrender you would kill my mother and the eldest sister of my wife, Akane."

"What? I never…" began Pluto

"ON MY HONOR AS A MARTIAL ARTIST THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED!" bellowed Wiseman his aura now scorching the floor as he removed his hood. Wiseman then grinned at King Endymion. "Been a while Tux Boy, Penguin Reject, and my personal favorite Nitwit Queen Simpleton's Pathetic Copy of Kuno."

"Saotome Ranma," said King Endymion frowning.

"These days I am called Wiseman," said Wiseman giving an exaggerated bow his aura diminishing.

"The sensei of the Black Moon Clan according to the message Mercury relayed to the Pluto of that time," King Endymion explained to his Pluto.

Wiseman nodded. "My long life is thanks to my martial arts training, my curse, and the Jakokusuishou. Nearly anyone else who found the Jakokusuishou would have become a walking corpse animated by its power and eventually go insane as a result."

"I had the misfortune of having to fight one of those other Wisemen," said Ranma entering the dojo with Usagi beside him and Sailor Moon behind both of them.

"I would hardly call it misfortune having practical experience fighting an undead madman so bent on the death of Neo-Queen Serenity that he would be willing to kill everyone on Earth and Nemesis to do it," commented Wiseman. Wiseman then glared at Pluto, "I never hated Neo-Queen Serenity; that emotion I reserved to you and you alone, Pluto." Wiseman then gave a humorless laugh shaking his head. "The ironic thing is that in her bumbling your pathetic Queen created a punishment more horrific than anything I could have dreamed up if I had been so inclined. Believing yourself trapped in a featureless void and not even remembering why."

"How would you know the Time Gates' domain was a featureless void?" asked King Endymion narrowing his eyes.

"I now remember my previous life," grinned Wiseman as he pulled out the Jakokusuishou. "Let me show you," said Wiseman as he raised the Jakokusuishou above his head. "Pluto Planet Power, Make up!"

After the transformation finished the now female Wiseman spoke. "The Jakokusuishou can only mimic the transformation sequence not give me your planetary powers, _daughter_."

"You...you're the reincarnation of my mother?!" asked Pluto in a higher than normal voice.

"I guess her high-mess didn't remove all of your reasoning ability," said Wiseman. "While I can't tap into the power of Pluto I can tap into the power of the planet I have been on for nearly 1,000 years." said Wiseman as she again raised the Jakokusuishou above her head. "Nemesis planet Make up!"

"Sailor Nemesis," said Pluto narrowing her eyes at the end of the transformation.

"Quite right," said Wiseman. "A Sailor Senshi whose powers you have no knowledge of and who can access the knowledge your mother had."

"In fact, you have been happily chatting with us though this crude copy of the Time Gates I made," said Ranma folding his arms. "If I can do this with only minimal access to the Jakokusuishou of my time and your mom's knowledge what do you think my future-self who has nearly 1,000 years worth of using it is going to be able to do with that same knowledge?"

"Oh shit," said Pluto paling.

"Ranma…Black Wiseman, that is not helping," said Usagi. "You are clearly frightening her even more and as we have seen when someone of their time period gets frightened they starting doing things that are stupid even by your father's standards."

"Queen Eclipse is correct," said Sailor Moon in total monotone. "Previous experience has shown that when frightened the Sailor Senshi of Crystal Tokyo are prone to totally illogical behavior."

"Could somebody tell me just what is going on?!" asked King Endymion. "Sailor Moon is talking all creepy and calling my wife Queen Eclipse."

"Your data is in error," said Sailor Moon. "Queen Eclipse is the Tsukino Usagi of this time period. Neo-Queen Serenity is your wife; Chronos Aeon sent her and her Sailor Senshi to Mt. Fuji. Where they currently are is unknown."

"Wait a minute, if she is the past version of my wife then who are you?" asked King Endymion.

"I am her powers given a human mind due to Taro pouring the Spring of Drowned Twins on her. However I do not have her human emotions," said Sailor Moon. "Logic indicates that eventually that I will start becoming less human physically as well as mentally as time passes."

"But that means Usagi is in danger!" exclaimed King Endymion his hands pressing against the closed doors of the Time Gates.

"Thank to Ranma's training and another pool from Jusenkyo courtesy of Chronos we are quite able to defend ourselves Sailor Senshi powers or not, thank you very much," frowned Usagi the nails on her left hand extending a full three inches.

"What the…?" asked King Endymion as he looked at the claw like hand Usagi now sported. He then glared at Chronos. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" he bellowed.

"What was I thinking?" repeated Chronos her skin taking on a greenish tinge. "I was thinking I didn't want to become what I thought was my future. My mother's reincarnation showed with his Black Moon Clan that humans and youma can coexist," Chronos continued pointing to Wiseman. "It not like I didn't test it out on myself before bringing it to Usagi. How did I know she would stumble into it before I could go into details? As least the other three Senshi knew what they were getting into when they used it."

King Endymion paled. "Which pool did you use?" he whispered as Ranma nodded a grim smile on his face.

Pluto scowled. "I think she already told you in her own way. The key was the phrase humans and youma coexist. Spring of Drowned Youma immediately comes to mind."

Chronos smiled as her skin turned to deep green. "Nice to know the Nitwit didn't totally remove _all_ of our brains."

"Spring of Drowned Youma? Spring of Drowned YOUMA?! Have you gone insane?!" screamed Endymion.

"We are not insane but from what I have seen of my future-self and her friends you bunch aren't exactly playing with a full deck," said Usagi angrily. "I have examples of total reckless disregard for normal people's safety and outright stupidity that makes Genma at his worse look like Ami." Usagi folded her arms frowning. "Even before I physically turned into one I came to understand youma are living thinking beings that have as much right to life as humans."

Endymion sighed and looked down. "You really are set on this idea, aren't you, Usagi?"

"Given your reaction, I take it that is a rhetorical question," commented Wiseman.

"Usagi can be quite stubborn when she wants to be."

"That's not always a bad thing," said Ranma, "especially as it seems a lot better than the alternative."

"Speaking of alternatives the public needs to know what is going on, though not all of it," said Usagi firmly.

"WHAT?!" screeched Pluto as Ranma looked at Usagi concern in his features.

"Pluto, Black Wiseman, I am _not_ suggesting that we tell everyone _everything_," responded Usagi frowning. "Doing that would only create needless panic and give our foes some nice targets. My concern is if we don't come out with something, when someone outside our little group figures out exactly what youma feed on we could have every demon hunter in Japan coming here like ants to a honey pot and few options to prevent it from becoming open season on youma time."

Wiseman and Ranma nodded smiles slowly spreading on their faces.

"I think I get it," said Wiseman. "Give the public enough information that they will looking out for Beryl, the aliens, the minions of Pharaoh 90, and possible evidence of Snow Princess Kaguya but not so much that they get panicky and do something crazy."

"I only have the vaguest idea on how to do it so I going to need help," said Usagi. "Pluto, we know next to nothing about the aliens and Snow Princess Kaguya so I would like to know more so I can give the people something to work with."

Endymion frowned. "What about information on Pharaoh 90?"

"Oh that will not be a problem. Mistress 9 likely knows more than either of you two does," said Usagi smiling.

"Kuso," said Ranma face palming as Pluto's jaw dropped open.

"What's wrong?" asked Usagi.

"The Mistress 9 they know is quite different from the one we do," said Ranma. "That piece of information could have them going loose cannon like Neo-Queen Serenity's Mars and Mercury have."

"But all I have to tell them is she is also Sailor Saturn and…"

"SAILOR SATURN?" yelled Pluto. "Mistress 9 is that psychopathic maniac?!"

"Uh, I just messed up didn't I?" asked Usagi.

"Yep," said Ranma his face still in his hand.

"Just _who_ is a psychopathic maniac?" asked a very angry Mistress 9 as she entered the dojo the Silent Glaive in her right hand.

"Kuso," said Pluto paling. "Mistress 9 has _access_ to the powers of Sailor Saturn," she said her eyes rolling up into her head as the Crystal Gates went blank.

"What the?" said Usagi. "Chronos, what happened?"

"She fainted and it broke the connection." Chronos then frowned. "Unfortunately, her future is so different that I can't reestablish contact through the Crystal Gates. Using our Time Gates would give her access to our version and who knows what she could do."

"Council meeting, now," Usagi said scowling. "Given her reaction odds are she is going to do something crazy so we need to go public immediately. We have one and only one shot at this and I want to do it as right as is possible."

**~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~**

Beryl had assumed that the Doom and Gloom clan had defected to Wiseman and his Black Moon Clan but she now knew better. The all too brief encounter between her one remaining Shitennou and Orana had provided the knowledge that there was yet another player in this conflict.

The Doom and Gloom clan were the most respected and powerful of all the current youma clans so their defection to this previously unknown Queen Eclipse and her Grey Moon clan over the somewhat better known Wiseman and his Black Moon clan was not good news. Orana's comments had made it clear that Black Wiseman was the successor to Wiseman Quantize had told her about. Orana had also made it clear what the goals of her new clan were: the creation of an empire dwarfing that of the Moon Kingdom and the crushing of her and the Princess' reincarnated forces not allied with the Black Moon Clan.

Beryl suppressed a shudder as Metaria mentally grumbled; Metaria was the only thing that allowed Beryl to have any control over the remaining youma and her support of Beryl was waning fast. The only thing preventing Metaria from abandoning Beryl and seeking out either the Black Moon or Grey Moon clan was its inability to survive in a non human host and its uncertainly of being able to survive in a host that was only partly human.

So here Beryl sat her hands caressing her crystal ball in a desperate attempt to find anything about this new threat and turn the whole mess around. Beryl then scowled as the image of Sailor Moon standing with some youma formed. A youma with features very similar to those of Sailor Moon stepped forward clearly nervous.

"Thank you for granting this interview, Queen Eclipse," said a voice belonging to a nondescript Japanese woman. "I take it these people are of your court."

"You're welcome, Mayo-san, but court would be the wrong term as would be subjects," replied the youma. "They are part of my clan. The relationship we have is like a mixture of a family and that between a samurai and his daimyo. Changing clans is not something we take likely or something we do on the spur of the moment. I would like to start out by apologizing for the situation that your people and world have been brought into."

"Situation?" asked Mayo-san.

Queen Eclipse smiled reminding Beryl of her long hated rival Princess Serenity. "Forgive me, but I will have to go into a little bit of a history lesson. Our saga begins 12,000 years ago in what you would call a parallel universe. In that reality all the planets were inhabited and with two exceptions were part of an interplanetary power called the Moon Kingdom. The two exceptions had both humans and youma on them. Youma are intelligent beings that feed off life energy or ki as martial artists call it. Humans were our preferred food source."

"You mean you ate people?!" asked Mayo-san appalled.

"No, no, no, no," said Queen Eclipse shaking her head. "We didn't and don't eat people but feed off their life energy."

"If I may?" asked a robed figure that sent a mental shiver through Beryl for a reason she could not put into words.

"Of course," said Queen Eclipse as she gestured to the figure as it advanced. "This is Black Wiseman our clan advisor."

Black Wiseman gestured and a glowing ball appeared in his open right hand. "_This_ is what youma feed off of. I have been training the youma that have joined our clan how to generate this so they don't have to drain it from humans. But to understand fully you need to hear the rest of the story."

"Thank you, Black Wiseman," smiled Queen Eclipse nodding her head. "In that other universe Earth was mainly populated by youma with a smaller human population. One group of humans that had high ki levels similar to what Black Wiseman just demonstrated became the ruling class or royal family of Earth if you will. For millenniums there was an uneasy truce between Earth and the Moon that finally erupted in war 12,000 years ago. The problem was it was not a war between armies but a war between nine planetary guardians known as Sailor Senshi and an army of nearly a million youma." Queen Eclipse then frowned. "The humans of the Moon Kingdom were never in any serious danger—no youma in its right mind would ever needlessly kill a human nor try to enslave one. Youma at worse viewed humans as you would a prize milk cow—keep it well cared for and happy and it will keep producing milk for you. Many hoped to see a human who was strong enough on their own merits to be considered an equal and therefore not only possible clan members but viable mates as well."

Queen Eclipse then shook her head in disgust. "The Moon Kingdom's royal families considered such ideas at best an abomination and youma as either parasites or worse vermin. However even with their enhanced abilities the Sailor Senshi could not win against that kind of assault and so the Queen used the Ginzuishou to create a pocket reality and imprison the head royal family, their generals, and their youma army in it."

"The problem is to create something like that takes energy," said Black Wiseman grimly. "The Queen of the Moon Kingdom could have used any energy source but either out of arrogance, ignorance, or petty spite used human ki energy." Black Wiseman gestured to a blue skinned youma wearing a visor. "Thoth is using one of the artifacts of the Moon Kingdom that I believe was pulled to our reality by that final act of insanity."

Thoth touched her visor and an image appeared in mid-air. "It is called the Mercury Computer. Based on the levels of death ki we found in three of the seven fragments of the device used we estimate the death toll of that action to be 280 billion."

Beryl stared open mouthed at the image and Mayo-san echoed her thoughts. "You mean this Queen killed 280 million of her own people just to stop this invasion?" asked the woman in shock.

"No, she killed 280 _billion_ to win against a foe that was likely only fighting her because they were afraid. Remember the entire Solar system in that other universe was inhabited," said Black Wiseman. Beryl's eyes widened as the full horror of her last battle with Queen Serenity hit home.

"So why are you telling us all this?" asked Mayo-san clearly shaken at the scope of that long ago war.

"Because Purple Wiseman and his Black Moon Clan of Nemesis showed us that humans and youma can live together," said a reptilian youma. "Eclipse and Black Wiseman have used that as the template of something that will, in the end, be grander than the Moon Kingdom or anything this Earth has ever seen. It will take many years if not decades to realize their dream but it is certainly better then slowly starving to death in some pocket reality under the rule of an increasingly insane boosted bitch or being hunted down by some ignorant demon hunter simply for trying to survive."

"Rept is one of the youma that has joined our clan and is quite passionate about the future as you can see," explained Black Wiseman.

"She mentioned a _Purple_ Wiseman and his _Black_ Moon clan of Nemesis. What are they?"

Beryl watched as a purple robbed figure simply appeared out of thin air causing the woman to gasp with his appearance. "I apologize, I didn't mean to startle you but I have so few opportunities to show off my skill in martial arts to non-practitioners. King Pendragon found it both inspiring and annoying," said the figure slightly bowing. "I am Purple Wiseman, and my Black Moon clan is the royal family of the planet Nemesis."

"Wait a minute, did you say _planet_ Nemesis?" asked Mayo-san.

Purple Wiseman nodded. "Yes, my clan and I are from another world of _this_ reality."

"You mean you are aliens?" asked Mayo-san nervously.

Purple Wiseman chuckled. "As you tend to use that word to refer to your fellow humans to accent racial, cultural, and political boundaries the answer would be yes. But membership in our clan is based on merit not race, social standing, or other factors outside a person's control so the term has little meaning to us or to the person I trained for his role in the Grey Moon Clan," finished Purple Wiseman gesturing to Black Wiseman.

"Purple Wiseman comes from a world that prides itself on the martial arts training of its people," said Queen Eclipse. "It isn't a utopia but it comes reasonably close as crime, disease, and poverty are things they mainly read in history books."

Purple Wiseman looked at Queen Eclipse. "Queen Eclipse reminds me of my old friend and student King Pendragon who is the standard by which all rulers of Nemesis are held to. Since we believe in reincarnation there are those who think Pendragon will return one day and bring a second Golden Age to Nemesis; hence his title of the Once and Future King."

Mayo-san blinked. "There was a Western king with that title."

"All the people of Nemesis can trace their human lines back to Earth," replied Purple Wiseman. "King Pendragon was forced to leave Earth with his youma subjects many decades before I met him. Perhaps his exploits, great sword Excalibur, or palace Avalon wove their way into your… is there something wrong? You are looking at me like you have seen a ghost."

"King Arthur's sword was Excalibur and supposedly he was taken away to the island Avalon," said Mayo-san uneasily.

"Something for later perhaps, but there are more important things to talk about," said Black Wiseman. "While neither of our clans represents a danger to Earth or its governments, Beryl certainly does. We are also troubled by the reports of demon hunters using names of the old Moon Kingdom's Sailor Senshi with apparent reckless disregard for the people they claim to be protecting."

"We always had misgivings about Beryl as she thought she was the Beryl that fought in the last war of the Moon Kingdom 12,000 years ago," said Rept, "but the appearance of demon hunters using the names and powers of the Sailor Senshi has sent her totally over the edge. She _will_ try to conquer this Earth no matter what the cost if she remains in power."

"That is why I called for this interview," said Queen Eclipse scowling. "I am not going to let a bunch of trigger happy vigilantes and some would be world conquering nut job restart a war that killed billions. I am offering our clan as a possible alternative to Beryl or trigger happy demon hunters. As with all clans there will be certain rules to follow. First of these will be no feeding on unwilling or unaware humans though if a youma finds a human willing to let them drain some ki we have no problem with that. Second, as the Ryu we learn is founded on the greatest human general who every lived our potential members must be willing to learn and implement the teachings of Sun Tzu. Finally, they will have to learn to stop thinking of humans as simply food and see them as potential equals as their ancestors did back in the days of the Moon Kingdom."

"But you said that youma without your training need to feed on ki," prompted Mayo-san.

Queen Eclipse gestured and a globe of energy similar to Black Wiseman's appeared in her hand. "We will train them to more effectively tap into the passive ki around them and if that is not enough we will be able to provide all the ki they need until they learn how to generate their own."

Queen Eclipse again scowled. "I have a message to all demon hunters as well; we will not tolerate attacks on us simply because of what we are or what you _think_ we might be doing. We have no interest in conquest or replacing your current rulers but I do have a message for Beryl if she is hearing this: this is not your Earth. It never was yours. Continue to behave like a mad dog and we will put you down like one," Queen Eclipse finished a symbol flashing on her forehead.

Beryl's expression of shock was mirrored back on back on Earth though not the reaction as her mind and that of Metaria basically shutting down with her body staring ahead for a couple minutes like a total zombie.

~*~* Tokyo, Earth*~*~

On Earth in part of Tokyo two of the Sailor Senshi were staring at a TV in shock. "That…that is the symbol of the Moon's royal family!" exclaimed Kaioh Michiru nearly jumping out of her chair.

Ten'ō Haruka stared for a moment before expressing her thoughts, "The Princess is a youma?!"

"It's got to be some kind of trick," said Michiru desperately.

Haruka frowned. "I know that like me you don't want to believe it; but while everyone can only simply see the symbol, _we_ can also fell its power. That is no trick, deception, or delusion. Queen Eclipse is indeed the Princess."

"What do we do?"

"It is clear from the way she is talking she is unaware of her identity," Haruka said thoughtfully. "The youma called Rept spoke of creating them something grander than the Moon Kingdom." Haruka's eyes widened. "With the Mercury Computer they would know of the three artifacts and are likely seeking them out."

"But what do we _do_? She just said she setting up a base on the moon for youma to live in. Is she trying to recreate the Moon Kingdom as seen through a youma's eyes?"

Haruka simply looked at the TV and frowned. "I don't know. I honestly don't know."

~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~

"That went better then expected so though I am still nervous," said Usagi sitting down in the dojo.

"Understandable," said Sailor Moon in her creepy monotone, "Based on past behavior your planned lunar base for the youma will cause even more erratic reaction from the Sailor Senshi despite you showing the symbol of the Moon royal family."

"What? When did I do that?"

"When you told the boosted bitch that if she didn't calm down you would take her out," said Rept.

"But I shouldn't have been able to do that given that Sailor Moon and I are two separate people."

"Logically the power of the Moon Princess and that of the Moon Senshi are separate and distinct," said Sailor Moon.

"Great, another thing to add to my powers I need to understand list. Purple Wiseman, can you tell us anything about Neo-Queen Serenity's powers that were not related to Sailor Moon or the Ginzuishou?"

"Sadly, no I can't," said Wiseman as he rubbed the bottom of his lip. "In fact your little manifestation surprised even me as I thought all of Neo-Queen Serenity's power was due to either Sailor Moon or the Ginzuishou and whatever you did was not you using ki to mimic something else."

"It could be like Sailor Saturn's power which is bound to her soul," offered Mistress 9.

"But what about _my_ transformation?" asked Wicked Lady.

"Given what I have experienced I would say it is more the Ginzuishou trying to mimic your mother's power than you actually having the ability," said Wiseman.

"Sort of like the Jakokusuishou with regards to the power of Sailor Pluto," commented Ranma.

"Doesn't that mean mom can still go Sailor Moon on us?" asked Wicked Lady.

"Kuso," said Wiseman face palming. "She's right. Neo-Queen Serenity might be able to access her old power as Sailor Moon."

"Here is something else to worry about," said Ranma. "The Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou both channel and reshape ki, right?"

"Oh no, passive ki," groaned Usagi.

Wiseman nervously laughed. "I haven't felt like this much a prize idiot since Pops found out the great Saotome treasure was an IOU. How am I missing this stuff?"

"I think it is due to the fact you go for long term effects and in so doing tends to loose sight of the short term," said Ami. "That is the real reason you have been so patent with Neo-Queen Serenity; you know that there are things your long term view is ill suited for."

Wiseman chuckled. "I did state that I had lost the impulsiveness of my youth. She still sees things in a short term view and that is something the people of Nemesis need. Take a good hard look at us," said Wiseman dejectedly gesturing with his hand to the Black Moon Clan, "It took Wicked Lady to get us out of our gather and analyze mode and actually _do_ something. For good or ill the Black Moon Clan has been largely reactive to this mess while your Grey Moon Clan has been proactive. Your idea of a lunar base for the youma that might join your clan was a stroke of utter brilliance; close enough that issues of time dilation don't become an issue but also far enough away that anybody that was overly nervous wouldn't be able to easily lash out at them."

"We've used the Crystal Gates to plant the transformation crystals," said Blue Saphir. "The structure will be finished in two days. Sa Fulang will have enough ki crystal batteries to support a modest population of several thousand youma by the end of the week."

Usagi nodded smiling. "Excellent. My announcement coupled with the fact that Beryl and her one lone human Shitennou can't provide anywhere enough ki means we will see more and more youma asking for clan admittance." Usagi then frowned. "I have accepted that we may have to kill to protect what we have and what we have planned but I don't want repeats of the kind of suicidal insanity I saw in the past."

Rept winced. "Metaria allowed Queen Beryl to totally cut off our ability to feed on Beryl and the humans that followed her. She used this as a way to make the clans do whatever she wanted; she said that any youma that failed in a mission Beryl gave was to be expelled from their clan."

"What?" hissed Usagi her eyes flashing with anger.

"That is why the youma fought us to the end," said Rei her hands grabbing her grandfather's pelt. "They had nothing to live for if they simply had ran away."

Rept nodded. "Unlike your samurai a clanless youma is seen as being even less than food. To be declared clanless is to be told you have no value. Better to die then live like _that_."

"Beryl is coming down," growled Usagi. "There has got to be something to break Beryl's control over the clans that are still in the Dark Kingdom," fumed Usagi hitting the dojo floor in frustration. "Rept, other than offering clanship is there anything else we can do?" asked Ami.

Rept shook her head. "Sadly, no. Even if we were able to defeat the youma Beryl still has under her thumb without killing them they would become suicidal as they know given Beryl's mental state they are clanless. No clan will take in a clanless youma."

"Even if that status is the result of some boosted piece of food that doesn't know its place?" asked Usagi angrily.

Rept smiled sadly. "As much as I agree with you there are only so many youma traditions you can challenge."

"I'm no longer the idealistic idiot who thought she could 'fix' the world," Usagi said shaking her head. "I can no more change youma attitudes about clanlessness than I can change Japanese attitudes about Bakakumin. What I _can_ do is challenge Beryl's misuse of the system."

Rept shifted an eager smile on her face. "An important distinction and one I approve of." Rept then frowned. "Unfortunately, our options are very limited."

~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~

Beryl had been sitting for nearly half an hour her hands still on her crystal ball; she had no more options. The fact the Princess had reincarnated as a youma was enough on its own to erode what control she still had but the announcement of Eclipse's willingness to accept membership in her clan had totally destroyed it.

Beryl looked up; all that kept the youma from attacking her was their need for her life energy and that of her one remaining loyal human subject. Soon Queen Eclipse would break though the barrier that separated her Earth from the Dark Kingdom and then... Beryl really didn't want to think about it.

As Beryl sat there she thought over the legend of King Arthur. The humans of Earth told of a story of a friend's betrayal with the King's human wife, a son's attempt to overthrow his father, the great King's supposed death, and the transport of his body to the island of Avalon. But in certain situations a youma could enter into a death like coma and Arthur was clearly half youma.

"It's over, you boosted bitch," said a hard voice.

Beryl snapped out of her introspection and glared at the youma that had spoke. "Watch your tongue or I will..."

"Will what?" retorted the youma stepping toward Beryl. "Force my clan head to throw me out of the clan? I'll save you and her the trouble. I renounce her and her clan and any clan that serves you, you boosted piece of food."

A gasp when through the crowd of youma as Beryl stared in dumbfounded amazement. No youma had before ever willing abandoned their clan.

"Do you have _any_ idea what you are doing?" asked the youma's clan head.

"'Attack where they are not prepared, go out to where they do not expect.' so says Sun Tzu," retorted the youma.

Beryl felt her blood go cold.

"That is why you so bold," said the youma's clan head frowning.

The youma laughed. "Actually I am _not_ a member of either the Grey or Black Moon Clan. I simply decided that serving Beryl and her continued idiocy is _worse_ than being clanless." The youma pulled out a book. "The teachings of Sun Tzu; available at any reasonable human bookstore," she said throwing the book into Beryl's lap. "That is how incompetent Beryl and her one remaining human follower are!"

Beryl saw red; how dare this youma talk to her like that. Beryl lashed out slapping the youma with all her strength knocking the youma to the floor. "Get out of my sight!" roared Beryl. "Go to the Grey or Black Moon Clan. At least they will put you out of your pathetic misery you clanless creature." Beryl tapped into her power and teleported the youma to Earth and sat back down.

"She was right," said the youma clan head staring right at Beryl. "Why are we serving you when we could be serving one of our own or at least a human that _worked_ for their power?"

Beryl blanched. "You heard her, she renounced her clan and you."

"Yet you struck her and used part of your precious power to send her to Earth," retorted the clan head.

Beryl realized her mistake. By treating the youma in such a way she had shown it had value. Metaria in a fury forced herself to the surface. "Enough of this," said Metaria using Beryl's voice. "Go to Earth and find me a better host. Talk to this Queen Eclipse and see if she can recommend anyone if you have to. Just get me out of this lovesick revenge crazed egoistical idiot!"

~*~*Tendo Dojo, Earth*~*~

Back on Earth Usagi was still fuming regarding how Beryl kept control over her youma. "There has got to be another option," she ranted hitting the ground. "I can't kill one of our own just because some boosted piece of food forced a clan head to throw them out just because they failed in her delusional goals."

Rept sighed. "Eclipse, you are voicing what many youma believe but I can see no options other then granting a clanless youma a quick and relatively painless death at the hands of one of your human allies."

"There is at least one youma that considers that fate better than serving Beryl," said a voice.

Rept blinked and turned to face the voice. The youma standing there at the dojo door had green skin with a ruffle like appearance and yellowish face giving her the appearance of giant flower. "I am Roda and I abandoned my clan."

Rept slowly stood up her mouth hanging open. "You did what?!" she finally asked.

"I abandoned my clan and so enraged Beryl that she hit me and then used some of her energy to send me here," said Roda as she entered the dojo and knelt before Usagi and bowing her head. "I am ready to die."

"No," said Herb firmly.

"No?" asked Rept scowling. "Haven't you been listening to what I have been saying?"

"Actually I _have_ been listening to what you have been saying; it is you who have not."

"What are you talking about?" responded Rept curious.

Herb looked right at Usagi. "What are you, human or youma?"

Usagi blinked her eyes for a moment before they enlarged in realization. "Of course, we have been so centered on the problem that we failed to see that the solution is right in front of us: Jusenkyo."

Herb nodded. "I delayed my search for the Tea Kettle of Restoration so Ranma could still advise you and to gain insight on what may await me when my father passes away and I become the ruler of the Musk." Herb gestured to himself. "I was raised without any female contact and accidentally changed myself into one when trying to learn about them. I initially was angry and I have to admit frightened until I learned about Wiseman and his control over Jusenkyo. Coming here for a cure what I instead found was a group of people for whom male and female really didn't have any meaning. Even the future version of Sa Fulang is totally comfortable as both a male and a female."

Usagi looked at the youma before her, her head still bowed calmly waiting for her life to end. There had been a time that she would have killed Roda without so much a second thought but now… "Roda, we have some water from a place called Jusenkyo," said Usagi calmly. "Most of the pools change the body but not the mind. Normally hot water reverses the transformation while cold water retriggers it." Usagi gestured to Ranma with her left hand as she raised Roda's head with the other.

"Hot water," said Ranma as he poured some water from a red thermos on Usagi.

Roda blinked as she felt the life force of Eclipse change from youma to "Human. You are human!"

Usagi nodded smiling. "Yes, in this form I am human," she said as Ranma walked over to Zirconite and poured some more of the hot water on her.

Roda's eyes widened in shock at seeing a youma she knew. "Zirconite? But you were human a moment ago. Totally human!"

"Usagi's friends were willing to step into our world, so I thought it was only right to return the favor. Besides I wanted to know what it was like to be human."

"If being human is not to your taste there are other pools," said Ranma gesturing to the Crystal Gates as they slowly opened. On the other side was a valley covered in pools a pole sticking out of each one. "Word of warning, Jusenkyo itself may choose the form you get," said Ranma.

"An excellent warning, Ranma," said Cologne chuckling.

"Given the huge range of pools in the place I can't imagine there haven't been attempts to use the more powerful ones for personal gain. Something had to cause those attempts to fail and the Guides couldn't have directed _all_ of them to your village after the effort."

"Very good, Ranma," said the Elder smiling. "There is a spirit presence in the valley but what it really does has always been a mystery. One of the ideas presented is that this presence determines what pool is actually used by subtly manipulating the area in the valley."

"No matter what my form I will always be youma, I am clanless I have no value," said Roda.

"That is not it at all," said Ranma folding his arms. "The simple fact is you are afraid."

Roda growled and jumping up took a swing at Ranma. "Afraid?" she snarled. "I said I was ready to die. How does that make me afraid?"

"It shows you are afraid to _live_," said Ranma as he deflected or dodged blow after blow.

Roda stopped and stared at Ranma before laughing. "Afraid of living is it? I'll show you," Roda snapped as she turned and ran through the open Crystal Gates. Not more than a few steps on the other side Roda fell into a pool.

Everyone watched as a winged woman emerged from the pool. "What…what happened?" said Roda.

"Honored customer fall into Pool of Drowned Female Phoenix Mountain Warrior," said a male voice belonging to a man in a ill-fitting uniform who came into view. "Very tragic story of Female Phoenix Mountain Warrior who drown there 2,500 years ago. Cold water change you into warrior, hot water change you back."

"Who are you?" asked Roda narrowing her eyes at the man.

"I am Guide here."

"Black Wiseman didn't mention anything about this place having a Guide," said Roda slowly standing. "But then again I didn't exactly give him much time to tell me more than the basics of this place." Roda raised her now taloned hands and smiled. "I thank you spirit presence of Jusenkyo for this new form; it rivals my old one in power and strength. I came to Queen Eclipse looking to die and you have given me new life."

"Guide confused. No customer ever _thank_ Jusenkyo," said the Guide frowning.

"Perhaps they did not understand this place," said Roda returning to the Crystal Gates.

"Aie, where big gates come from?"

"From the Grey Moon Clan," said Roda as she stepped through the Guide right behind her.

"Aie, where Guide?!"

"Tokyo, Japan," said Rept shaking her head.

The Guide's eyes widened to the size of saucers and turning around dashed through the gates. On the other side the Guide turned and stared at the gates. Ranma gestured and the gates closed and the image of the Guide faded.

"I left the other end intact," Ranma said. "We may want access again and I don't want to leave little piles of black crystal all over Jusenkyo."

"Aren't you worried he might tell someone?" asked Ami.

"Unlikely, Jusenkyo has clearly been kept hidden from the local government given how easily it is for the locals to access the place," said Sailor Moon. "The last thing the Guide would do would be to attract attention to that area. As for the locals themselves they do not want to attract unneeded attention either."

"Speaking of attracting attention we are now going to be the focus of every government on Earth thanks to our announcements," warned Wiseman.

Usagi nodded. "I know and not all of their reactions will be peaceful but it was a risk worth taking. Too much hangs in the balance for this battle to remain a secret."

Roda again knelt before Usagi. "I petition for acceptance into the Grey Moon Clan."

Usagi and Ranma looked at each other and nodded. Reaching over Ranma touched Roda's forehead. "For showing uncommon bravery and a willingness to give up everything because it was right I Black Wiseman Advisor to the Grey Moon Clan welcome you to our ranks." A yin-yang symbol then appeared on Roda's forehead as Ranma removed his hand.

Roda looked up into Usagi's eyes. "I think I have much to learn, my Queen."

~*~*Author Notes*~*~

Alternative names:

Ami: Thoth (Egyptian god of wisdom and medicine)

Rei: Neith (Egyptian goddess of war)

Makoto: Amun (connected to Jupiter in Egypt under the Romans)


	12. Chap 12 Reactions

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 12 – Reactions

Kasumi opened the dojo door causing the many people training there to pause. "Eclipse, Demando, General Adams and Commander Takahashi from the Japan Self-Defense Forces would like to talk to you."

"That was faster than I expected," commented Ranma.

General Adams raised an eyebrow. "Any particular reason you expected a slower response given the bombshell your Queen dropped, Black Wiseman?"

"This is Nerima which sees more weirdness in one week then the entire rest of Tokyo if not Japan sees in a month if not a year," said Ranma.

Commander Takahashi nodded. "This ward does have a _reputation_ for the strange and bizarre. Panty stealing gnomes, martial artists going through stone walls as if they were made of tissue paper while throwing the occasional energy blast, and even stories of people changing into animals."

"That last part would be due to Jusenkyo," explained Ranma.

"What is this Jusenkyo?" asked General Adams narrowing his eyes.

"It's a small valley in the Qinghai province of China filled with magical pools," commented Ranma. "Whatever falls into a pool takes the form of whatever drowned there when splashed with cold water and the process is normally reversed by warm water. While there are methods of control there is no true cure."

"You've got to be kidding," said General Adams frowning.

"No. Fortunately there is a powdered version of the Pools that produce one time effects so we can demonstrate their properties without cursing everyone who wants proof," said Ranma pulling out some packets and handing them to the general. "Thoth said your scientists will likely want to test them so we put in an order for an entire crate of them. Should be here in about half a month."

General Adam looked at the little packets in his hand. "How do they work?"

"Add one packet per barrel of standard water. Produces about 150 liters of one shot Jusenkyo water."

"But the real Jusenkyo is permanent."

"Yes, but I don't imaging you came all the way here to learn about the strangeness of a over 4,000 year old valley in the outskirts of China."

"No we didn't," said Adams. "We came here about the announcement your Queen made."

"Thank you for coming so quickly, General Adams and Commander Takahashi," said Usagi bowing to the two men.

"Queen Eclipse," said General Adams and Commander Takahashi as they bowed in return.

"Please, sit down," gestured Usagi.

"Thank you, your majesty," said General Adams as he and Commander Takahashi sat down on the dojo floor.

"As your government may have already surmised we only told your people part of the entire story," said Usagi nervously. "Beryl is only part of the problem but it was best if the people thought she was their main foe."

"There are other foes?" asked Commander Takahashi.

Usagi solemnly nodded. "Pharaoh 90 and something calling itself Princess Snow Kaguya. Either one on its own is a grave danger to this planet but combined…" Usagi shivered.

"Our current information points to the conclusion that Pharaoh 90 and quite possibly Princess Snow Kaguya as well are not living beings but constructs that were designed to perform a doomsday machine function similar that to Sailor Saturn but with a lot less collateral damage," said Ami.

"Doomsday machine? Just what level of power are we talking about here?" asked General Adams.

"Sailor Saturn's Death Born Revolution is powerful enough to take out planets," said Sailor Moon.

General Adams paled. "Take out planets?" he whispered. "Are you trying to tell me that this Sailor Saturn was some form of real life Death Star and there are two similar things out there?!"

Ranma straightened up slightly. "Death Star?"

"It is a reference to a movie called _Star Wars_, Black Wiseman," said Ami. "In it an oppressive Empire creates a weapon called the Death Star to terrorize people into submission. However, it is unlikely the Moon Kingdom used Sailor Saturn in such a manner as the destruction of any major planetary body would have played havoc with the delicate gravitational equilibrium of the solar system."

Ranma paused in thought and then quickly stiffened. "Of course, how could I have been so blind!"

"Black Wiseman, what is it?" asked Usagi.

"The Dark Kingdom was a pocket reality created from ki and Pharaoh 90 absorbs ki. That blasted thing was designed as a ultimate safeguard in case the residents of the Dark Kingdom figured out they weren't really in the future of their old universe."

"I get it," said Hotaru. "Pharaoh 90 was to prevent them from returning by absorbing the energy that held their prison together forcing them to escape into our universe. But then the explosion of my father's experiment made Pharaoh 90 think _this_ is the Dark Kingdom." Hotaru then frowned. "But what of Mistress 9? Does this mean that she is not really alive either?"

Ami shook her head. "No, because the energy of Pharaoh 90 and Mistress 9 while similar is different. I think Mistress 9 was caught up in your father's explosion and Pharaoh 90 used her as part of its programming."

Hotaru scowled. "It is a good thing Queen Serenity has been dead for 12,000 years because between the two of us she would be wishing she was not only dead but in the most unpleasant part of Hell to boot."

"Two of you?" asked General Adams.

"I am actually two people: Tomoe Hotaru and Mistress 9," explained Hotaru. "Mistress 9 is an energy being who brought me back to life after being killed by the same accident that attracted Pharaoh 90 to this world." Hotaru looked at Ami. "I take it the whole statement about planetary alignments is just more lies, Thoth."

"Yes but a necessary one as the ki Earth has is dynamic while that of the Dark Kingdom is not," said Ami. "Pharaoh 90 is likely recalibrating itself so it can form its primary function of shutting down the Dark Kingdom."

"Which will devastate the Earth's ecosystem," scowled Usagi. "But we can't take the battle to Pharaoh 90 until Hotaru's father opens the portal to whatever sub-reality the blasted thing is in."

"And stopping my father now would just allow Pharaoh 90 to find someone else to start the whole thing up elsewhere. So we are stuck in the position of waiting for my father and his constructs to make the first move and react," finished Hotaru.

"At least we know how he and they act," grumbled Ranma. "All we really know about Princess Snow Kaguya is her assumed name and that she will try to freeze the world in about two years time."

"Which fits all too well into Pharaoh 90's time table," scowled Rei.

"Never mind all these Moon Kingdom artifacts floating around for someone to find and activate," grumbled Usagi.

"Floating around?" asked General Adams who then shook his head after a moment of thought. "No, I doubt this technology being here is any accident in which case _some_ degree of care must have been put into it not being easily discovered."

"I agree with the general," said Ranma. "I would further add that we are likely using what the Moon Kingdom considered antiquated or even obsolete technology."

As the conversation continued Luna looked on at her charge with a mixture of pride and concern. After the meeting ended and the two military men left Luna leapt into Usagi's lap and looked up at her frowning.

"Thought we revealed too much, Luna?" asked Usagi.

"Actually I was concerned about you," replied the moon cat. "You have become more like the Princess I vaguely remember but there is something missing as well. I can't quite put it into words but I am concerned in your effort to become more mature you may be losing something important."

'The talking furball could be right,' said Genma's sign. 'Even Wiseman admits he lost something that Ranma still has,' said the other side of it.

Usagi frowned as she looked around at the youma around her clearly curious at her response. "Are you saying that I might be taking things too seriously?"

"I think it is more you becoming the mask you have started wearing," said Wiseman. "You are trying to portray what you think people expect out of a leader especially with what you _think_ youma want in one."

Usagi leaned back in thought. "You mean that I am misinterpreting the concept of a strong leader?"

Wiseman nodded. "Just as 'man among men' can be viewed many different ways so can the term 'strong leader' because even within a single culture there is diversity."

"Perhaps Purple Wiseman is right," Usagi said turning to the youma next to her. "Rept, just what do youma want in a strong leader?"

Rept smiled. "As Purple Wiseman said it varies but there is one constant: we value power and strength that requires some degree of sacrifice."

Usagi frowned in thought. "Is that why you despise Beryl—because her power and strength had no or little sacrifice?"

Rept nodded. "Yes and she has not even tried to progress beyond what she was originally."

Usagi continued to frown. "Perhaps I am being dense but why do you accept me? My separation from Sailor Moon and later transformation into a youma were accidents. Even my martial arts knowledge was imparted by Black Wiseman."

Rept chuckled. "The difference is that you progressed beyond those initial accidents. Black Wiseman may have given you the knowledge but you still have to train to be able to _use_ it. The willingness of your friends to actively to become like you without the kind of pressure Beryl employs speaks of a solidarity highly priced in the youma society of the Dark Kingdom. Your inner court came up with a way to keep Roda from needlessly dying that I never even thought of even though everything was right there in front me. Unlike Beryl you seek out advice beyond your own inner court in areas you know that they might be lacking in—such as youma society in the Dark Kingdom. Beryl rules by fear while you prefer to rule by consent and reason. That and far more is why we not only accept but follow you."

Usagi nodded. "If I understand you, this means if Sailor V does decide to join our clan she must provided something of her own or find a way to grow. If not she will be at best viewed as boosted food."

Rept nodded. "Yes Clanhead Eclipse, that is completely right. However, if the stories of her fighting something in England alone are accurate she likely will be regarded as being more valuable than simple boosted food."

Usagi again nodded as she looked at Ranma. "Black Wiseman, did the members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces believe us?"

"I believe so though I could tell they figured out we were holding back information. My concern is what will happen as the information gets relayed up the chains of command."

"Little we can do about that," said Usagi who again turned to Rept. "I need some ideas on how to convince youma to think of humans as more than either food, breading stock, or useful clan members."

Roda cocked her head to one side. "You mean there _is_ something else?"

Usagi smiled facing the youma. "There is friendship."

"Ah, you mean someone useful to the clan like Elder Kě Lún," stated Roda.

"That is not what she means at all," responded Rei as Usagi blinked and then frowned.

Usagi finally slumped sighing. "Neith…Rei, don't be hard on Roda. If anything I wish to thank her for making me realize that I have been neglecting the friends I had before I met any of you. I can't remember the last time I even talked with Yumiko or Kuri and I have been letting Naru wallow in depression rather than helping her through it. I need to reconnect to my other friends and I am going to start with Naru because she is my oldest friend and also because she is going to be the hardest."

~*~*RS*~*~

The next day at Juuban Middle School a depressed Naru sat down to eat her lunch. "Naru-chan, I'm sorry I have been neglecting you," said a familiar voice.

Looking up Naru blinked. "Usagi? Your parents said you had ran away from home and were asking everyone where you might be hiding," she said grabbing her friend's hands.

"It's alright now. My mother found me and we are working through what caused me to lose it in the first place," said Usagi wincing at the memory.

"Why did you run away from home?"

"Have you heard of a place called Jusenkyo?"

Naru shook her head.

"It is an obscure valley in China near the Tibetan boarder filled with pools of water. Water from these pools can change a person's form and for a rare few even their mind based on water temperature." Usagi sighed. "Somebody thought the best way to see if they had the Pool of Virtuous Man or Pool of Twins water was to pour it on me. It was the later and split me into two people." Usagi took a deep breath. "Myself and Sailor Moon."

Naru's eyes widened. "You're Sailor Moon?!"

"I _was_ Sailor Moon," Usagi said smiling sadly. "My parents didn't react well to my late night youma fighting or my getting splashed with Jusenkyo water and were using Purple Wiseman and Mistress 9 as verbal punching bags. I emotionally lost it and ran out of the house right into a youma finishing up on her latest meal. She saw me as dessert until I asked her if it was for herself or boosted bitch Queen Beryl." Usagi chuckled. "That hit a cord with her and then Ranma found us. He took us to a place he knew, and it was there I had my second encounter with Jusenkyo water."

"Second encounter?"

Usagi again took a deep breath. "Pool of Youma." she said as her skin turned chalk white with a bluish tinge.

Naru blinked. "You look just like Queen Eclipse."

"Naru-chan, that is because I _am_ Queen Eclipse."

Naru again blinked. "Usagi, Queen Eclipse said she was going to Furinkan _high_ school."

Usagi chuckled. "Youma are natural shape shifters so it was easy to make myself look older. As for my grades it seems that the method Ranma used to give me his martial arts knowledge also gave me his insanely fast learning curve." Usagi then sadly smiled. "One of my clan's new members made me realize that I had been so busy worrying about the welfare of the world as Sailor Moon and later Queen Eclipse that I was in danger of losing what made me Tsukino Usagi."

Usagi gently grasped Naru's hand. "It was bad enough I was letting one of my oldest friends drift away but I was letting it happen when you needed me the most." Usagi then looked down. "Given that and what I am about to tell you I imaging you will likely hate me."

"Hate you? Why would I hate you?!"

"Nephrite was one of Beryl's Shitennou or generals as was Zoisite the one Nephrite died saving you from." Usagi winced. "Zoisite has decide to stop serving Beryl and asked for admittance in the Black Moon Clan and is currently allied with both that clan and my Grey Moon Clan."

Naru put her other hand on the hand Usagi was using to hold hers and shook her head. "Usagi, you are my friend and while I am angry about Zoisite that doesn't mean I hate you. It was clear from your interview that you are trying to do what you think is right for all concerned."

Usagi let go of Naru's hand and hugged the girl as she sobbed a little. "Thank you. I was so worried that you would hate me for allying myself with the killer of the man you were in love with."

"Looks like we both had the same idea but you got here first," said a calm voice.

Usagi broke out of the hug and turned to face, "Neo-Queen Serenity."

"Usagi, who is this?" asked Naru concerned by the amount of anger in her friend's voice towards the woman who looked like an older version of her friend.

"This is what I would have turned into without Purple Wiseman," said Usagi her voice almost a snarl. "An idealistic idiot who tried to turn the world into her idea of utopia by removing everyone's evil and if you didn't like that idea you got an express trip to the outer most planet of the solar system, Nemesis."

Neo-Queen Serenity winced. "You really don't like me very much do you?"

"I don't like what you _represent_," corrected Usagi folding her arms.

"And _what_ do I represent_, Queen Eclipse?" _retorted Neo-Queen Serenity angrily.

"Blind idealism with a good dose of misguided self-righteousness," responded Usagi. "No matter what happened to the Earth in your future you did not have the right to mess around with people's minds nor to exile people who didn't agree with your stupidity to Nemesis."

"You rather I have been like Wiseman?" responded Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Hardly. Purple Wiseman is a pessimist who is so use to looking at the long term that he can't easily see short term issues." Usagi sighed. "You have both done what you think is right but neither of your methods is perfect. Purple Wiseman knows this; the question is do you?"

"I just wanted everyone to be happy," cried Neo-Queen Serenity.

Usagi shook her head. "I have learned you can't have happiness without sorrow. The members of my clan wonder why Purple Wiseman has been so lenient with you; the simple fact is he knows you—possibly better than you know yourself. He knows if you are given all the necessary information you will follow your heart and do the right thing."

"If I would do the right thing then mind telling me how I would think turning myself into a youma and convincing my friends to do likewise was right?" retorted Neo-Queen Serenity tears running down her face.

"Because thanks to the people of Nemesis I know youma are living thinking beings that just happen to have an unusual food requirement and with the proper training they and humans can coexist." Usagi stopped and scowled. "But that is the _real_ problem isn't it? You and your Sailor Senshi are having trouble coming to grips with that one simple fact. Sadly, I can think of many reasons why and none of them good."

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned. "And just what are these bad reasons?"

Usagi sighed. "You really want me to say it don't you? Alright, the fact of the matter is once you stop thinking of us as things and as people it upsets your little simplistic view of the world."

Neo-Queen Serenity's frown turned into a scowl. "You said us."

Usagi rolled her eyes. "We aren't going down this path again are we? Ok, for the sake of argument let's say you and your Sailor Senshi are right and the pool does affect the mind. Can you honestly say that my behavior as a youma has been that much different from that as a human?"

Neo-Queen Serenity paused for a moment and then shook her head. "No, I can't say that your behavior has been that much different."

"Look, perhaps my view of you _was_ influenced by Purple Wiseman but so far you and your Senshi haven't done much to counter that version." Usagi then reached out her hand.

"Please, we can't really be fighting Beryl and all that she has let loose if we are worrying if you and your Senshi are going to come in and start blasting without first finding out what is going on. Purple Wiseman thinks your actions have been the result of too little information and too much well intentioned but ultimately bad advice." Usagi extended her arm tears starting to form. "Purple Wiseman for all his pessimism still believes you will do the right thing. Are you going to prove him wrong by continuing to give up on yourself and blindly following the vaguely remembered ideals of a long dead kingdom?"

Neo-Queen Serenity stiffened and reaching out took the hand.

"Thank you," said Usagi as she wiped a tear.

"Uh Usagi, could you explain to me just what is going on here?" asked a very confused Naru.

"Eclipse being herself rather than what she thinks people expect of her," said a calm voice.

Three pairs of eyes turned to find a young man in Chinese silks his hand behind his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, but when Wicked Lady sensed her mother coming here it was all I could do convince the clan that just having me and Chronos Aeon come here was better than them all show up enmass or the entire honor guard being sent in. I also thought it would be better if I came as myself rather than as Black Wiseman."

Naru blinked. "You're Black Wiseman?!"

"When I am like this I prefer my actual name, Saotome Ranma," Ramna said nodding his head in Naru's direction. "To answer your question, simply put Neo-Queen Serenity and Purple Wiseman are time travelers. They are what Usagi and I became in one possible future."

"Future? But Purple Wiseman said he came from another planet," said Naru.

Neo-Queen Serenity winced. "He does. The planet I exiled him to about 1,000 years ago."

"What? But people don't live that long!" exclaimed Naru

"Ki manipulation _can_ allow people to live that long," corrected Ranma a ball of bluish ki forming in his left hand. "The problem is that _emotional_ ki manipulation has its negative side," Ranma continued gesturing with the ki ball as he talked. "Using one emotion for your abilities like I did makes it easier to feel that emotion. If I had continued to use confidence I eventually would have become totally megalomaniacal, a friend of mine is danger of killing himself because he uses depression, and my fiancé is using anger way too much. I would even suggest that if the process continues you would be able to feel _only_ that emotion."

Ranma dismissed the ki ball as he continued. "Neo-Queen Serenity's ki is about as badly messed up as P-chan's is; the only difference it the emotion they are channeling. The one good thing is at least what emotional ki she is channeling is not going to turn Tokyo into Hiroshima revisited if it goes too far."

"That's impossible!" Naru exclaimed.

Ranma shook his head. "No, it is very possible especially as I know that in what was one of my futures I blew the top off a mountain with an amplified ki blast and that what the Moon Kingdom called magic seems to involve a lot of ki manipulation."

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned. "That doesn't quite fit, Ranma."

"Doesn't it?" he asked as a staff appeared in his hand. "Catch," he said casually tossing the staff to Neo-Queen Serenity.

"The Time Staff?" Neo-Queen Serenity said scowling. "I know from the Pluto of this time that you are her mother's reincarnation but I…"

"That is _not_ the Time Staff," interrupted Ranma. "That is a ki duplicate."

Neo-Queen Serenity blinked and looked at the staff. "A ki duplicate?" she asked as the staff changed to a bluish white color and dissolved in her hands. "Oh crap," she said looking at Ranma. "I think…I think, I need to get back before my Sailor Senshi get worried and start looking for me," said Neo-Queen Serenity as she turned and started walking at a faster that normal pace.

"Before you go have you contacted either Sailor Uranus or Neptune?" asked Usagi causing Neo-Queen Serenity to stop and slowly turn back. "I want to meet with them and I need to know if I… why are looking at me like that?"

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed. "We didn't exactly see eye to eye with their methods which may have been why they died in our history. They and the Witches 5 were looking for three items hidden in the pure heart crystals of three people." Neo-Queen Serenity gave a sharp bitter laugh. "Turned out they had two of the items in their own pure heart crystals all the time."

"But from what Neith said long term removal of a pure heart crystal would kill whoever it belong to." Usagi's eyes widened. "That is why there is no Sailor Uranus and Neptune in your time. They died and you didn't understand enough about the Ginzuishou to even try to bring them back."

"Given what I now know maybe that was for the best," said Neo-Queen Serenity tears forming in her eyes. "At least they weren't living the lie that I accidentally imposed on my Sailor Senshi." Neo-Queen Serenity suddenly stiffened and her eyes grew wide. "I just realized."

"Realized what?" asked Ranma.

"Three items, each from a Sailor Senshi: the sword from Uranus, the mirror from Neptune, and the pearl from _Pluto_!"

"Wait a minute," responded Ranma, "the sword Kusanagithe, mirror Yata no kagami, and pearl Yasakani no magatama are supposed to be the Three Sacred Treasures of _Japan _not the moon and more to the point if you got the pearl from Pluto…"

"Who or more accurately _what_ have I been dealing with all these centuries and why didn't I remember I knew Pluto earlier?" finished Neo-Queen Serenity as she started to tremble.

Ranma frowned in thought. "Regardless of who or what she is, I don't believe your Pluto is evil or misguided."

"What?!" responded Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Think about what Pluto can access and what she would know. The more I look at it the more her actions make sense especially if her options were limited. Someone had to send that alternate Wiseman I faced to _this_ world _this_ history and right now I know of only two people with enough knowledge to pull it off."

"_Alternate_ Wiseman?" Neo-Queen Serenity asked.

"From a history where Kuno rather than I became Wiseman," said Ranma. "We sent him back to where and when he belonged. But we still don't know why he was sent to this timeline or which future sent him here."

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned. "I see. Too many secrets. Too many agendas. I'll do what I can but I can't promise you that all my Sailor Senshi will not stop causing problems."

"I understand as I will likely have the same issue with the youma who want to join my clan," said Usagi. "All you like me can do is try."

~*~*Embassy of the United States; Tokyo, Japan*~*~

In the American Embassy Ambassador Morgan closed the report he had scanned through and looked up at General Adams. "General Adams, I can see you did your best to try and put a positive spin on this mess but in the end it boils down to that there has been some maniac working on conquering the world for the last six months and not one military expert even knew about it." Ambassador Morgan gestured to the report, "and if that wasn't bad enough the entire safety of the world during that time has hinged on a bunch of underage girls running around with alien artifacts they barely even knew how to use."

The general sighed. "I know and even as advanced as Purple Wiseman and his people are they fully admit what they have are only pale imitations of the Moon Kingdom's technology." The general sat an opaque crystal globe about the size of a baseball on the desk. "Blue Saphir said this is a duplicate of the medical globe he carries around with him. It is all the medical advances of Nemesis made in the last 1,000 years as well what medical information was brought to them from Earth many centuries ago." The general gestured to the globe. "This globe not only contains the medical knowledge of 6,000 years but makes the best computers we have look like vacuum tube monstrosities. Yet, this is just a crude approximation of what the Moon Kingdom was able to do some 12,000 years ago."

Ambassador Morgan frowned looking at the crystal globe. "In her interview, Queen Eclipse said youma at worse regarded humans like prize milk cows."

"True but Queen Eclipse also said there were those who desired to meet humans who were strong on their own merits to be potential clan member and even mates," commented Adams. "From what I was able to determine the youma realized long ago that trying to rule over humans was a bad idea and so long as it doesn't make us useless as food and potential mates they are perfectly willing to let us govern ourselves as we see fit."

"But they do favor certain governments and beliefs over others," probed Morgan

Adams nodded. "Yes they do. Their strong belief in strength through merit favors democratic republics along the lines of the United States. The fact the United States is one of the superpowers on Earth also speaks to their ideal of power through merit."

"You are recommending that we start building a relationship with them."

Adams slowly stood. "They revealed that the Moon Kingdom had real life Death Stars and one of those things has our Earth in its sights but they are completely confident that they can take that thing out. Anyone with that kind of power could squish any army that opposed them like a bug. I'd rather have them as an ally then an enemy. It certainly would be better than leaving matters to a bunch of jail baiters that are playing around with powers they don't really understand."

"These new players _are_ willing to share their technology with us and tell us what is going on which is more than be said for the Sailor Senshi," said Morgan. "While they likely have their own agenda it clearly behooves the United States to be their ally."

Adams nodded. "Black Wiseman made on offer to show just what someone trained in the martial arts since the age of five could do. He also said that if we had any outdated equipment that we didn't mind getting destroyed it would make the demonstration more impressive."

Morgan nodded in thought. "I think we can arrange that." Morgan then turned his attention to the crystal globe. "I assume you were told how to access the information in this."

"According to Blue Saphir there are two methods: direct transference into the holder of the globe and audio and verbal communication. The globe is designed to run on minimal ki energy so not the unduly fatigue the doctor using it."

Morgan leaned forward. "That alone will certainly progress medicine. Can you give a sample of this audio and verbal communication?"

"Of course," said the general touching the globe.

~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~

"I still can't believe I am holding over 1,000 years of medical knowledge and discovery in the palm of my hand," said Ami holding a similar globe in her hand in the Tendo dojo.

"It was indented as a peace offering to Neo-Queen Serenity," commented Blue Saphir. "It contains all the medical discoveries made on Nemesis as well as an archive of all the information we were able to bring from Earth."

Ranma stopped in mid kata and looked at Blue Saphir. "_All_ the information from Earth?" he asked catching a fist blow by the youma he was sparing with in his open hand.

Blue Saphir frowned, "I know that tone but I was very careful to explain that we got medical information from Earth many centuries ago and that we have been updating it since arriving to fill known gaps. Given they all think King Pendragon is King _Arthur_ Pendragon they will just assume any Earth discoveries in it either came from him or are ones I have recently added."

Wiseman chuckled. "You see younger-self, we don't always miss the obvious."

Ranma folded his arms. "I imaging some of the very early ki discoveries were made by your martial artist friends and were recorded in great detail. Details like names and dates."

Wiseman again chuckled. "Yes, but that is a narrow 50 years in some 6,000 years worth of material. Even if they somehow do figure out we are from a future we still have the out of going with the basic truth," said Wiseman gesturing to the Black Moon Clan. "We were a group that came to Earth in hope of reestablishing diplomatic relations and wound up in our own past and decided to run with it. Because we have succeeded in changing so much of what we know beyond that is rapidly becoming useless."

"You really have a problem with lying, don't you?" asked Nabiki from the dojo's doorway causing everyone to turn in her direction.

"Was wondering how long before you would make your interest formally known, ancestor," said Esmeraude scowling. "How much is it going to cost us to keep you from trying to sell this to every person you think might buy it?"

Nabiki frowned shifting her gaze to Wiseman.

"Don't give me that look, Nabs," said Wiseman. "We all know that information is your stock and trade and there are times you don't care who you endanger or emotionally hurt as long as you get some yen. The fact you turned my first attempt at marrying Akane into a mini-warzone in my history proves it." Wiseman then chuckled. "But you are right. Oh, I can leave things out and let others jump to the wrong conclusions but I am so in the habit of making sure what I do say is true that I have effectively become incapable of telling a direct lie."

"It's not just you," said Nabiki. "All of you have the same problem. While you can mislead people by leaving things out or providing facts in a misleading manner nothing you say is an actual lie."

Prince Demando now chuckled his hand going behind his head in a manner so similar to Ranma when he was embarrassed as to be a little spooky. "I guess you have us there, Nabiki-san. The reason is because Ki training on Nemesis has gotten to the level that anyone with anything that we would call skill would spot it in an instant. So only the very young even try."

"So your Ki techniques can function like a lie detector," said Nabiki frowning.

"In a limited matter," admitted Wiseman. "We cannot detect indirect lies and half truths. For instance saying that Ranma are not the same person would be a half truth and be undetectable—even by me."

Nabiki nodded in understanding. "Sort of the way I do some of my deals. To address my decedent's concern it is in my self interest to keep what I know and what you haven't revealed secret. After all how can I enjoy the money I make if I am dead, frozen stiff, or living on some planet on the outer edge of the solar system?"

Wiseman chuckled. "Practical as always."

"You are no slouch yourself," complimented Nabiki. "Your moon base is clearly designed in case there is a massive defection or even overthrow of Beryl."

"Very perceptive."

"What I don't understand is why you haven't sought out the two remaining Sailor Senshi. Chronos clearly has an idea of who they are."

Chronos Aeon chuckled. "Actually, I have been keeping tabs on them seeing how much of their old lives they remember and if any of our groups have come close to them. So far none have."

"Based on the conversation Black Wiseman and I had with Neo-Queen Serenity I can see why she is avoiding them," said Usagi. "The other two forces either have cut back on operations or are being stealthy about what they are doing. Neo-Queen Serenity gave the impression of Sailors Uranus and Neptune being loose cannons on deck and that the Pluto of her time may not be what she appears to be. Chronos, I want you to contact them and see how accurate Neo-Queen Serenity's view of them is and to relay the fact that we _know_ whose pure heart crystals contain the sword, mirror, and pearl. We may not be able to address the Pluto problem but we sure can try with Uranus and Neptune. But before you see them touch base with Sailor V, I want her to have some idea on what is going on."

~*~*RS*~*~

"Serenity, I could really use some help on how to address this situation," said Sailor V.

"I'm sorry but I am still trying to come to grip with the idea that the Princess has encountered a magical pool that turns her into a youma and is being advised by people from the outer most planet of the solar system."

"She seems to intent on bringing humans and youma together and that youma called Rept implied plans at making something grander than the Moon Kingdom," said Artemis.

"Black Wiseman said something about that other Sailor Venus meeting Pluto in this time period and the Time Gates being a time machine." Sailor V shivered, "Pluto said that the Sailor Venus she was talking to and her fellow Sailor Senshi were nothing more than animated corpses preserved by magic."

"It is possible that the Ginzuishou could do something like that but I cannot understand how that happened."

"Oh that part is easy," said a voice behind Sailor V.

Sailor V jumped and spun around her Venus Love chain in her hand to face, "Pluto? What are you trying to do, startling me like that?"

"Seeing if you were as well trained as I had hoped," said the Senshi letting her human features morph back into her default youma one. "I was in no real danger as I could have easily disarmed you if you had been so sloppy at to attack me without thinking. Oh, and I call myself Chronos Aeon now."

"Pluto, I want an explanation," said the voice from Sailor V's communicator.

Chronos Aeon's expression quickly turned to one of such fury that Sailor V took a reflective step back. "I know that voice," she hissed grabbing the hand the communicator was in. "Queen Serenity, the last Queen of the Moon Kingdom; I thought you were dead. You being alive will help us answer a lot of questions. Beginning with why in hell did you kill over 200 _billion _people to create the Dark Kingdom and Pharaoh 90 as well as sending your daughter and Sailor Senshi to be reincarnated in the future?"

"What?" squeaked the voice from the communicator.

"You didn't know? Oh that is rich. Purple Wiseman is going to have a field day with _that_ piece of information. He is angry enough at Neo-Queen Serenity for not learning how the Ginzuishou worked and turning everyone on Earth into emotionless sheep and her best friends into well preserved animated corpses but finding out that this whole mess is due to you not knowing what the hell you were doing is going to send him off the rails."

"Pluto…" began the voice.

"Not Pluto, not any more," hissed the Senshi youma her nails growing longer. "Pluto served a Kingdom that existed in another universe whose last ruler killed over 200 billion people because she was a bigoted incompetent and in one future may serve her braindead airheaded idealist moronic boosted piece of food reincarnated daughter. I am not that person. I am the _Guardian_ of not just the Time Gates but to the Grey Moon clan as well. My duty is to the people of this Earth regardless of them being human or youma. So how the hell did you survive the end of the Moon Kingdom?"

"I didn't. Strictly speaking I am not Queen Serenity. I merely call myself Serenity because that is whose mental algorithms I am based on."

Chronos Aeon's features softened. "You mean you are some form of artificial intelligence."

"Yes and I have as you would say 'woke up', It sounds like the person I was based on made some disastrous decisions after I was created. I have been helping Sailor V or rather Sailor Venus as much as I could."

Chronos Aeon let Sailor V's hand go nodding. "I'm sorry for that outburst. A lot of my views about the Moon Kingdom have been shattered and I have been under a lot of stress dealing with the mess that the last Queen made." Chronos Aeon smiled softly. "Eclipse wanted me contact you so there was _some_ coordinated effort in protecting this world rather than everyone going off and doing their own thing due to lack of information. Right now our main foes seem to have pulled back operations but we think this only the lull before the storm. Now if you excuse me, I am going to have to contact Sailors Uranus and Neptune next and that may not go as well." Chronos Aeon raised her staff and disappeared from view.

Artemis frowned. "She may have Sailor Pluto's powers but there is something… well, _off_ about her."

"She was talking more like a youma than a human," commented Serenity. "Boosted food was a term used by youma for Sailor Senshi in the days of the Moon Kingdom as they felt they didn't earn their power."

"The problem is I can't find out a lot about Jusenkyo so there is no way to check if the pool of youma did more than just change the way she looks," said Minako. "Though from what you are saying it sounds like it may have altered the way she thinks."

"A youma with the full powers of a Sailor Senshi and who knows who we and some Sailor Senshi we haven't even heard of are," said Artemis shivering. "That really worries me though if she did think we were enemies we wouldn't be having this conversation; we'd be dead."

"Not necessarily," said Minako frowning as she pulled out a book. "I may not have found much on Jusenkyo but I did find the entire teachings of Sun Tzu. While I only skimmed through the Art of War and don't understand all its nuances I was able to grasp that killing is not top of his list of how to handle enemies." Minako opened the book to a marked page. "Listen to this: 'Therefore, to gain a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the highest excellence; to subjugate the enemy's army without doing battle is the highest of excellence. Therefore, the best warfare strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, next is to attack alliances, next is to attack the army, and the worst is to attack a walled city.' If we are considered the army then we are third in the list of things on the totem pole."

Artemis nodded understanding his charge's point even if she had mangled the saying. He again frowned. "That means this battle between Eclipse and Beryl is totally different from that we had with the Dark Agency and we may be ill prepared to fight in it."

Minako nodded. "I think we many not be the only ones."

**~*~*****Dark Kingdom*****~*~**

In the Dark Kingdom Beryl sat on her throne brooding in silence. What control over the youma she had was gone as Metaria no longer would enforce her orders. Beryl knew that once the youma found a host that Metaria deemed suitable that the best future she could look forward to was as a youma plaything. Worse, Metaria no longer simply sat in the background but forced herself to the surface and controlled Beryl's body when the whim hit her.

Metaria forced herself to the surface uncaring about her host's reaction and picked up the book that the youma had thrown at her host and had fallen to the floor when she had ordered the remaining youma to find her a new host. Metaria frowned as she had expected the wisdom of the greatest human general who had ever lived to require volumes of material and yet here it was in one book not even two hand spans large and less than a finger width thick.

Metaria opened the book and noted it was broken down into thirteen chapters: Calculations, Doing Battle, Planning Attacks, Formation, Weakness and Strength, Armed Struggle, Nine Changes, Army Maneuvers, Ground Formation, Nine Grounds, Fire Attacks, and Using Spies. Given Queen Eclipse would clearly attack the Dark Kingdom it was obvious the third chapter would be the most informative and so Metaria started with it hoping that it would be somewhat understandable without the preceding chapters.

'Generally in warfare, keeping a nation intact is best, destroying a nation second best;' began the chapter. As Metaria continued a slow dread of realization hit her: Sun Tzu had taken the insanely complex matter of warfare and brilliantly reduced it to simple and easily remembered phrases. Not only could a phrase stand on its own but combined with others each took on other meanings giving the reader awareness of deeper strategies. Several hours later Beryl now in control continued to ponder what she has seen through her connection with Metaria and looking up at Shitennou Kunzite sighed.

"We can't win," she said dejectedly. "We don't have the time, resources, much less a plan to fight this. I don't think even the wisdom of Sun Tzu can help us now. Metaria revealed one fact that I kept from you and the youma in the hope that I could turn this into a victory."

"What truth is that, you boosted bitch?" hissed a youma who had overheard the conversation.

Beryl winced and resigned herself to even more pain once the youma found a new host for Metaria. "Black Wiseman uses power from the same source as Metaria."

"What?!" asked Kunzite and the youma attracting more attention then Beryl really wanted.

Metaria asserted control again. "I should have asserted control then but I thought this host might be able to do something once she got access to the wisdom of Sun Tzu." Metaria lifted the book in her hand. "All it tells me is that her fears of Queen Eclipse coming here soon were unjustified and we have next to no options for turning this conflict around. There is nothing I can give the youma to compete with Queen Eclipse's offer especially as she is the Princess."

Metaria leaned back in the throne. "The original Wiseman must have known or suspected. That is why he was getting the Sailor Senshi to trust him and his successor so they would accept the fact the Princess they were sworn to protect had came back as a member of the very race they once considered either parasites or vermin."

"But the Ginzuishou…" begin Kunzite.

Metaria gave a bitter laugh. "Don't you think either of the Wisemen have thought of _that_? Based on what I have just read, I wouldn't be surprised if they either already had some if not all of the pieces or know exactly where they are and are waiting for us to show up. Even worst Purple Wiseman is allied with two Sailor Senshi none of us even heard of. Nemesis was the only other planet in the solar system besides Earth that even had a youma population and yet it now has a Sailor Senshi. The Princess has come back as a youma while a youma named Thoth is in possession of the Mercury computer and is able to operate it. Kunzite, I admire your loyally but the only thing left to do is to meet with the clan heads and figure out how best to end this mess."

"Including surrender?" asked Kunzite.

"It's not like we are exchanging one boosted human for another or calmly lining up heads bowed to be slaughtered as would have likely been the case if Princess Serenity had reincarnated as a human," said a youma clan leader.

"Once we determine what is acceptable we will contact Queen Eclipse," said Metaria who then frowned. "Thing is I don't think she will be idle and her time will be spent further strengthening her position."

**~*~*RS*~*~**

Haruka and Michiru both frowned as a youma calmly pulled out a chair and sat down at their table. The youma then gestured and a staff appeared that she propped against the table. The eyes of both Haruka and Michiru widened to the size of saucers as they recognized the staff.

"You recognize it," said the youma calmly. "Good. That should make this easier. Queen Eclipse asked me to tell you two that we know exactly where the sword, mirror, and pearl are. Given their long term removal would result in needless death we have decided to leave them where they are."

The youma then folded it hands. "The question is what are you two going to do? Kaioh Michiru? Tenoh Haruka?" asked the youma snapping her fingers several times. "Please, I know finding out the Princess is a youma is a bit much but…"

"Finding out the _Princess_ is a youma is a bit much?" asked Haruka as Michiru nervously grabbed her hand. "What about you?"

"Well at least you are no longer staring like a pair of white belts who have just seen two grandmasters go at it," commented the youma. "Really, I expected better from the two of you. Sailor Venus even after finding out that in one future she turned into a well preserved corpse animated by magic was more coherent then you two have been and she is one of the Inner Senshi. We Outers are supposed to be made out of sterner stuff. Though, I could never understand why Jupiter was considered an Inner when her world is the biggest of the outer planets."

"So not only is the Princess a youma but Sailor Pluto is a youma as well," commented Haruka her right eyebrow twitching.

"Please, call me Chronos Aeon," said the youma smiling. "Sailor Pluto…belonged to a different era a different universe. But her duty remains and that duty is mine."

Haruka narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. "You're serious."

Chronos Aeon nodded her expression becoming somber. "Very. The Moon Kingdom had its good points but it also had its bad ones as well. The biggest of those bad points was the distrust between humans and youma. If that distrust had not existed Queen Beryl wouldn't have been able to entice the people and youma of Earth to help her in start a war that slaughtered billions; a war who's after effects are now being felt in _this_ universe."

"That distrust was not without basis," said Haruka angrily.

"Granted and the behavior of the youma following the current Queen Beryl's orders doesn't help things in this universe. But at least we know why they were behaving as they were. A youma looking at certain clanlessness in its future will fight like a samurai whose only choices are death or dishonor."

"You said you know where the sword, mirror, and pearl are but have decided to leave them where they are because their long term removal would cause needless death," inquired Michiru.

Chronos Aeon nodded. "Namely ours; seems the blasted things are in _our_ pure heart crystals. Black Wiseman is working on a replacement or a way to safely extract the blasted things."

"In our pure heart crystals? But that is the last place… oh I see," said Michiru frowning.

"Right, if it was the last place you would have looked for them in then it would have likely been the last place Pharaoh 90 and his allies would have looked for them in as well," said Chronos Aeon.

"Pharaoh 90? Who or what is Pharaoh 90?"

"We think it is a failsafe against the prisoners of the Dark Kingdom escaping back to their own reality that has malfunctioned and thinks this Earth is the Dark Kingdom." Chronos Aeon glanced around and leaned forward her voice barely audible. "Left to its own devices Pharaoh 90 will kill 90 percent of the life on this Earth."

"What?!" hissed Haruka. "I can't believe that Queen Serenity would…"

Chronos Aeon shook her head as she leaned back in her chair. "Neither do I but Thoth pointed out past a certain point technology and magic becoming interchangeable. That means _both_ can wear out and degrade. That is why I don't fully trust the technology, magic, or whatever you would like to call it we have from the Moon Kingdom; as good as it was in its day that day was 12,000 years ago. That the stuff works at all after nearly 120 centuries of neglect is a testament to the skills of the Moon Kingdom's craftsmen but I would not like the fate of this world depending on it _all_ working as well as it did all those centuries ago especially as we don't have a full manual on how to even use it and even if we did it was designed to be used in another universe."

"I see," said Haruka frowning in thought.

"Given what we both remember from those days and what has been going on for the last six months I know it is going to take a lot to even begin to trust me but I have to try," explained Chronos Aeon. "Within reason I'll tell as much as I know."

**~*~*RS*~*~**

"See Guide tell truth. Go through large gates and come out in Tokyo, Japan," said the guide pointing to the structure.

"I see, Groundling," said a young harsh voice. "And it was through these gates that the customer that fell in to the Pool of Drowned Female Phoenix Mountain Warrior passed through?"

"Yes, Lord Sa Fulang," replied the Guide.

"Did you see what they looked like _before_ they fell in?"

"No, Guide only saw them after. They only customer that _thank_ Jusenkyo. They also mention something about a Black Wiseman."

The ruler of Phoenix Mountain nodded as he examined the gates. He then took a step back as the doors of the gate changed color from black to light gray.

"What's with the Crystal Gates?" asked a female voice.

"They are responding to the presence of a mammoth amount of ki," replied a male voice. "A little something I set up just in case the Guide decided to contact one of the locals."

"Focus a little of my ki into them," said the voice as an image formed. "And we have a nice two way window," finished a man in a long black robe.

"Nice way to get around customs," said a Japanese girl smiling in slimy manner.

"The Crystal Gates are an important tool to be used for good of the Gray Moon Clan not for you to indulge in your personal schemes to make some yen, Tendo Nabiki," hissed the robed figure turning to face the girl.

"Can't blame a girl for suggesting," replied Nabiki.

"Personal achievement that betters the clan is one thing," hissed another voice as a humanoid being approached the girl. "Selfish self gratification is another."

"Leave her," said the robed figure. "She has to help us if she wants to _enjoy_ her selfish self gratification. That makes her valuable to the clan." The figure then turned back toward them. "Excuse the interruption, Lord Sa Fulang of Phoenix Mountain. I am Black Wiseman, Advisor of the Gray Moon Clan."

"Allow me, Black Wiseman," said a female voice as a claw hand gently grasped the figure's shoulder.

Kiima watched as her lord paled and took a reflective step back in reaction to the female member of the Phoenix tribe that walked into view.

"Who you?" asked the Guide. "You not customer that fall into Pool of Drowned Female Phoenix Mountain Warrior."

"No, I am not; that was Roda," said the female breaking into a really frightening smile. "I am something more unsetting than the return of Lord Sa Fulang's drowned daughter."

"What?" asked Black Wiseman clearly surprised. "You mean that pool…"

"Oh yes," said the female with a far away look of sadness in her eyes as if remembering an incident long ago. "Her name was Helia. Her wing was wounded in one of the many early battles the Phoenix tribe had with neighbors who no longer exist. She thought she could use one of the pools to break her fall but it turned out the pool she chose was uncursed. As the Guide would say in his overly simplistic manner 'very tragic story'."

"Who are you?" asked Lord Sa Fulang shaking though it was unclear if it was from fear or anger. "I was the only one who knew the details—especially her name!"

The female's eyes focused on Lord Sa Fulang a strange mixture of sadness, pity, and anger in them. "I doubt you will believe me but very simply I am you; or rather what you would have become in one future 1,000 years hence."

Load Sa Fulang narrowed his eyes. "You have a very poor sense of humor."

"Who said I was joking?" asked the female.

"These might help," said a purple robed figure handing two items to the female.

Load Sa Fulang's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he recognized them. "The Kinjakan and Gekkaja."

"Yes," nodded the female who glanced at purple robe.

"In view mode the Crystal Gates ki reserves are drained at a much slower rate," spoke the figure.

"But they are still being drained," continued the female. "Return to your mountain and verify your Kinjakan and Gekkaja are still where you last left them and you will see that I am not joking. I am you." The female turned and her gaze fall on Kiima. "Dear Kiima, my last love on Earth and my first on Nemesis; it has been so long since I saw you in anything but my memories. But you have your Sa Fulang who belongs in this time and it would be unfair to ask him to share the short time you will have together." The female then reached out touching the surface on the other side and the gates went black again.

**~*~*Tokyo, Japan*~*~**

Sa Fulang rested her head against the Crystal Gates sighing. "That was one of the hardest things I have ever done."

Wiseman put his hand on Sa Fulang's shoulder. "I know what you are going through."

"For you it is even worse; your old loves are right in front of you," sighed Sa Fulang. "To be reborn, live a life only to be consumed by flame to do it all over again as everyone with one exception around you even your own children grows old and dies."

Sa Fulang reached up and took Wiseman's hand in her own. "That is partly what drew us together. We were the only ones who could even begin to understand what the other was going through as generation after generation came and went."

"I remember that day so long ago when you asked to become my mate," chuckled Wiseman. "I think you had wanted to ask earlier but you had to make sure that I would even consider the idea."

"You have that right," grinned Sa Fulang. "For all intents you were my mother and father every time I went through my cycle. I knew that you had to be comfortable with relationships with your own decedents before I even posed the idea." Sa Fulang then hung her head blushing. "I also had to be sure I was ready to take on the female role as I didn't want to scare you."

"That was the one thing you had no worry in. Centuries of dealing with people who could change their gender like people of my generation changed clothes had totally desensitized me to ideas of male and female." Wiseman then patted his stomach. "Though carrying a child does play havoc with your hormones and emotional control."

"What?" asked Ranma in a weak voice.

"I don't think he was read for that, grandmother," said Esmeraude shaking her head.

"Wait a minute, Grand_mother_?!"" asked Ranma swaying on his feet.

Wiseman groaned. "You're not helping, Esmeraude."

"Wiseman," started Akane her aura coming into the visible range, "you do have an explanation for this, right?"

"What has her so pissed?" asked Esmeraude causing Akane to stare at her.

"I think it has to do with something humans called the incest taboo," said Blue Saphir thoughtfully.

"Oh, _that_ old thing," said Esmeraude dismissively. "That got dumped nearly seven centuries ago when ki training allowed us to correct any genetic abnormalities that showed up and prevent them from being passed to the next generation."

Veneti cocked her head to one side. "Does that mean she has issues with the relationship Aquatici and I have?"

Blue Saphir chuckled. "According to the records the incest taboo was regarding close _blood_ relations. While it is true I created both of you and have treaded you as if you were my own biological daughters you are not blood relations."

"I don't understand," said Aquatici a puzzled expression on her face. "The royal families of Europe especially the Habsburgs had marriages between half brothers and sisters as well as between uncles and nieces and those were viewed as acceptable."

Wiseman shook his head. "Those marriages were political power plays as well as a form of primitive eugenics. Just because we have to technology address any genetic issues that come up doesn't mean _we_ should adopt such activities ourselves."

Wiseman removed his hood and leaned forward his eyes cold and serious as he looked at Akane. "You may be my first wife, Akane; but that does not give you the right to judge us by your time's standards any more than we have the right to judge you and everyone else here by ours." Wiseman leaned back steepling his hands. "Perhaps that reporter was right. Perhaps we _are_ alien in the way she meant the word rather in the flippant way I portrayed it."

Wiseman then frowned in thought. "Mistress 9, do you think your host would be happy in our time?"

Mistress 9 looked at Wiseman and shook her head. "I don't think so. She has started making friends and most of those are people of this time."

"What of you and the youma with you, Zoisite?" continued Wiseman as he turned his attention to the Shitennou. "Would they be happy in a time when nearly all they knew is at best something only read in history books?"

Zoisite frowned thought. "No, I don't believe they would but they have already considered the Gray Moon Clan a better option then the Black Moon Clan."

Wiseman nodded. "They are right. The Black Moon Clan in its own way suffers from some of the same problems Neo-Queen Serenity and her Sailor Senshi do; the only difference is we knew there was a problem before we ever left Nemesis. The time between new or innovative ways of using ki or developing martial arts has gotten longer and longer with each generation. Once the rate was measured in months or years for really complicated techniques; now even new simple techniques seem to take a decade to be developed."

"You mean you felt you were reaching the end of what you could develop in isolation?" asked Wicked Lady.

"Something like that. I haven't been tolerate with Neo-Queen Serenity just because I know she will do what is right once she gets her head screwed back on straight but because in a way we _need_ her."

~*~*RS*~*~


	13. Chap 13 Learning and Understanding

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 13 – Learning and Understanding

Ranma frowned as he, Akane, and the Grey Moon Clan walked home from school.

"Are you saying that weird human with the plant growing out of his head and Eclipse drained when he tried to cut her hair runs our school?" asked Rept.

"Yep, He is also Kuno's father," commented Ranma as he continued to walk along the fence.

"Our Tannin-English teacher is interesting," commented Roda. "She can drain ki like we do and changes form."

"Actually she changes ages," said Ranma. "Might be another unintended side effect from Grandmaster Pervert's training."

"Given your frown I say it is likely a bad side effect," said Rept.

"Based on the fact he has allowed his own ki to become a total unbalanced mess, bad is an understatement," scowled Ranma. "But I don't want to try and fix anything as we could make things worse. He taught her the technique for what at the time he must have thought a good reason."

"Just like Queen Serenity created the Dark Kingdom and that Pharaoh 90 thing for what she thought a good reason at the time?" asked Usagi angrily.

"Only in this case as a Grandmaster of martial arts the little Pervert should have known better," agreed Ranma. "Still, just jumping in and trying to _fix_ things without fully understanding what is wrong could make them worse."

"Speaking of which, what about Crystal Tokyo's Pluto?" asked Akane. "Where and how does she fit into all this?"

"The more I look at it she seems to have set things up. I wouldn't be surprised if Purple Wiseman was shown the cave he found his crystal by someone he hadn't ever seen before or saw again."

"But wouldn't he have spotted her via her ki?" asked Rept.

"Perhaps. There is just so much about the Crystal Tokyo Pluto we don't know." Ranma sighed. "We don't even know _what_ she is."

"She could be a construct like Aquatici and I are," offered Veneti.

"That would just move the question to who or rather what _made_ her," commented Ranma. "Then there is the issue of the Dark Agency that Sailor V had been fighting in England as well as the Makaiju aliens Wicked Lady mentioned; neither of which we know much about." Ranma then frowned. "Except, Wicked Lady did say something about the Makaiju aliens trying to keep their tree alive with drained ki energy."

"But isn't plant ki different from animal and human ki?" asked Roda.

"Yes, and that is what makes the statement puzzling," said Ranma as he continued on the fence. "From what I understand while you can convert energy from one form to another that itself takes energy."

"That is correct," said Ami. "Furthermore if they were looking for plant ki it would be more logical for them to look in area away from civilization rather then in the heart of a modern city like Tokyo."

"Speaking of the modern world, Thoth, have you found anything that will help bring the youma that have joined the Grey Moon Clan up the speed on just what Beryl was keeping from them?"

"My problem is most of the material doesn't effectively capture the scale and scope of the battle or war they are talking about especially the more modern conflicts and the material that does is propagandistic in nature," admitted Ami.

"Propagandistic?" asked Roda.

"That means it the material's main intend was to sway public opinion in a desired direction and was not above using distortions, omissions, half-truths, and outright lies to achieve that goal," explained Ami. "As a result not all the information presented in such material can be fully trusted."

"So we have to be careful in how we use it," commented Usagi. "It is imperative that the youma that want to join our clan understand just how different this Earth is from the one they knew in the Moon Kingdom. I will _not_ follow Beryl's example of leaving them in the dark."

"I agree but we got to watch the pacing," commented Ranma.

"I know," responded Usagi who then smiled as she stopped. "You know you are doing a really crappy job of being stealthy."

A female student who had been walking behind them frowned. "How long?" she asked narrowing her eyes causing the group to stop and turn as whole.

"Ever since you started following us from school," replied Ranma.

"What gave me away?"

"Your body language," replied Usagi and Ranma in unison who then looked at each other and laughed.

"Body language?" asked Roda.

"The way someone moves," explained Ranma.

"That is what attracted our attention," commented Usagi as she morphed into her human form. "Reading your ki confirmed it."

"I am Delia," said the youma resulting in Roda shaking her head.

"I hope that this means that renouncing my clan knocked some sense into my former clan head or is she still serving that boosted piece of food Beryl?" asked Roda folding her arms.

Delia blinked and stared, "Roda? What…"

"Do you like my new body?" asked Roda smiling as she gestured with a clawed hand. "Jusenkyo picked it for me."

"What? WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU?!" screeched Delia.

"They didn't do anything to me," retorted Roda. "You know as well as I do that no one will accept a clanless youma so they gave me access to Jusenkyo and a chance at life as something else."

"WHAT?!" screeched Delia. "You choose to become this thing…"

"She is not a thing," hissed Zirconite as she grabbed Delia. "She is a member of our clan and she will be treated with the respect that all clan members are due."

"Zirconite," said Usagi as her hand grabbed the enraged youma-turned-human's shoulder. "You don't have enough training to take her on as a human."

"Zirconite?!" asked Delia in shock. "But you're human. Totally human!"

"You say that like it is a bad thing," growled Zirconite. "Saotome Ranma there is totally human and he could kick your sorry behind all over this street without _any_ magic and once I have learned enough I will be able to do the same."

"True," said Ranma, "But that is then, this is now."

"Perhaps I don't have enough skill to take her own as a human but you do have that thermos of hot water on you which will temporarily reverse Jusenkyo."

"And the minute you come in contact with cold water you will be human again," said Ranma frowning. "If there is one constant about Jusenkyo it is you change forms at the most awkward moments. In my case is a sex change which causes a minor inconvenience but yours happening in the midst of a battle given your current knowledge of martial arts—could be dangerous even deadly."

Zirconite scowled as she let Delia go. "I understand. I don't like it but I understand."

Any response Delia might have had was interrupted by a young man wearing a yellow and black bandana yelling at the top of his lungs. "WHERE AM I NOW?!"

"In Nerima yelling like a banshee that just got kicked between the legs, Ryoga," sighed Ranma.

"RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!" yelled the Ryoga as he charged Ranma who rolled his eyes.

"As much as I need you as a training partner, Ryoga; you are going to have to come up with some other way of announcing your challenge," commented Ranma as he casually avoided a blow that totally demolished the fence. "Some of the youma in our clan might take you literally and that would be a mess."

"Because you I have seen hell!"

"Ryoga, stop; this is not the time or the place!" fumed Akane as Delia slowly backed away from the group.

"Don't think he is listening to you, tomboy," said Ranma as he continued to dodge the umbrella Ryoga swung at him.

"Stand still and fight!" yelled a frustrated Ryoga. "Shi Shi Hokodan!"

Ranma dodged as he grabbed Rei who was right behind him and moved them both out the way. The blast destroyed some more of the fence by melting it.

"Ryoga!" yelled Usagi as she ran up and grabbed his shoulder. "That will be enough of that! I will not have you throwing emotional ki around with no regard to your surroundings especially when it endangers members of my clan."

"What? who?" replied the lost boy.

"Queen Eclipse, head of the Grey Moon Clan and you will stop this right now or I will drain so much of your ki you will be in a bed for a week!"

"Not a good idea," commented Ranma as he let go of Rei. "You don't have enough skill to separate the emotional ki he is channeling from general life ki. Heck, I'm not sure _I_ have enough skill to do that right."

"Point made, but we have enough problems with girls running around with magical powers of a long gone kingdom they don't understand; I don't need more irresponsible martial artists adding to the things we have to deal with."

"Agreed," said Ranma scowling as he put his hand on Ryoga's other shoulder his eyes cold and serious. "Listen to me, Ryoga. No insults no taunts. Just cold hard facts. Using emotional ki like this is dangerous; dangerous enough I sealed the Moko Takabisha. You need to seal the Shi Shi Hokodan."

Ryoga frowned the seriousness of his rival getting through to him. "We do things that are dangerous like this all the time. Why is this any different?"

"Because using emotional ki makes it easier to feel the emotion you use as a focus. Eventually you can _only_ feel that emotion. If I continued to use the Moko Takabisha I would have become overconfident to the point of recklessness. If you continue to use the Shi Shi Hokodan eventually the only emotion you will be _able_ to feel is depression."

"How do I know this isn't some sort of trick to get Akane?" asked Ryoga.

"Kuso, Ryoga, don't you get what I am telling you?" growled Ranma. "Keep using the Shi Shi Hokodan and you will become depressed all the time—enough that you will kill yourself in one last Shi Shi Hokodan. The blast will turn where ever you are into a replay of Hiroshima."

"Actually given what we found I'd say the effect would be five times greater," said the calm voice of Wiseman causing everyone to turn.

"The depressed ki you use sticks out like a sore thumb," continued Wiseman a ball of grey ki between his hands a small dot of sickly orange in it. "You can't continue this, my old friend. Your Shi Shi Hokodan killed you in my history and it _will_ kill you in this world's future. The only difference is there won't be a remove place where you can go to blow yourself up. Even now you have the ability to take out several city blocks."

The grey globe of ki disappeared and Wiseman removed his hood. "Ranma?!" asked Ryoga as he looked back and forth between Wiseman and Ranma. "What is this?" he said looking at Wiseman.

"A look into one of infinite futures, my old friend," said Wiseman sadly smiling. "Thanks to my actions my younger-self is already on the way to becoming a better Wiseman than I was a decade from now. I would really like to see the world he and Queen Eclipse will created but I can't; Neo-Queen Serenity and I must return to our own time our own world and clean up the messes we both have made."

"Purple Wiseman, there is so much you can still teach us," said Usagi.

"We have already given your world our medical knowledge. Learning how to use that _and_ the technology of the Moon Kingdom will keep the eggheads of this world busy for at least a century. Then there is the issue of the Dark Kingdom; properly integrating _that_ into your already complex world is going to take more than decades—it is going to take generations. You don't need people from another world who are _finally_ just _starting_ to deal with their own set of issues messing up things."

"In essence once you get to where you and Neo-Queen Serenity can be around each other without it degenerating into the mess it has into the past, you and the Black Moon Clan will be pulling the Saotome Ultimate technique because you have not clue one on how to fix your world _and_ ours at the same time," said Ranma frowning as he folded his arms.

Wiseman winced. "Blunt but correct, Black Wiseman."

"Saotome Ultimate technique?" asked Roda.

"For Pops it was little more than a fancy term for run away and hide until you can come up with something better," said Ranma frowning. "But to be fair, Sun Tzu himself states 'One who knows when he can fight, and when he cannot fight, will be victorious' as well as 'To achieve a withdrawal that cannot be pursued, depart with superior speed', so Pops' methods themselves weren't wrong only the _reasons_ for using them if that really makes sense," continued Ranma.

"Sounds like a justification for cowardice," commented Ryoga earning a glare from most of the listeners.

"With Pops it was," admitted Ranma. "But Sun Tzu warns 'There are routes not to be taken; there are armies not to be attacked; there are walled cities not to be besieged; there are grounds not to be penetrated; there are commands not to be obeyed.' and later 'He who is reckless can be killed'. Don't mistake knowing that a situation is not winnable at that time to be the actions of a coward, Ryoga."

Ryoga frowned and looked at Ranma, "What's happened to you?"

"You mean why didn't your comment about me being a possible coward provoke the response it did in the past?" asked Ranma smirking.

Ryoga simply nodded his head.

"I discovered the teachings of Sun Tzu likely the greatest general who ever lived," explained Ranma in a calm tone. "He listed five dangerous traits of a general; being reckless, cowardly, quick tempered, overly moral, and too fond of the people. I like you was reckless and quick tempered just in a different manner; unlike you I also suffered from being overly moral using Pops as an example of what _not_ to do."

"Are you saying I am not overly moral?" scowled Ryoga.

"How about not moral at all, _P-chan_," said Akane glaring at the lost boy. "And before you go yelling at Ranma he didn't tell me."

"I didn't need to, not with the tomboy living part of my life and her mine," commented Ranma who gave humorless laugh as he looked at Wiseman. "But then again my future-self was banking on that happening."

"Given your reaction to Sham Pu it was clear the Neko-ken had changed to something less dangerous so I didn't see a need to inform either of you of the strong possibility of that happening as it would solve a lot more problems than it would cause," admitted Wiseman grinning.

"WISEMAN NO BAKA!" yelled a voice as a staff slammed into Wiseman's head.

Wiseman blinked staring at the person at the other end of the staff. "Ranma?!"

"Really, given what happened to Nodoka, you should have seen that coming, Wiseman," commented Akane an all too familiar smirk on her face.

"You would think after 1,000 years my make it up at the spur of the moment skill would be a lot better," commented Ranma dismissing his energy staff as Wiseman rubbed his head. "But then you did admit that developing even simple techniques took ridiculous amounts of time."

"Ranma," said Genma running up. "You have to come to the dojo. It's those Crystal Gates of yours, they're literally falling apart."

Several minutes at the dojo Ranma scowled as another piece of the Crystal Gates fell off and shattered into fine crystal dust. So intent was everybody on this new development they didn't notice that there was one more than there should have been. "Well this is just lovely. How the blazes are we supposed to keep contact with our moon base and the pools if the flipping portal keeps falling apart?"

"Did you do anything different with this portal from what you used to meet with Sailor V?" asked Rei.

"Not really as I wanted the option of being able to shatter them in case future Pluto was smarter than we gave her credit for," admitted Ranma.

"That may be the problem," said Ami. "For the Crystal Gates to work the way they do they have to bend spacetime in some manner."

"Ok, Thoth, you just lost everybody including me," commented Ranma.

"Simply put, spacetime is a concept that connects the three dimensions of space with one of time," Ami held out her hands together palms up. "Think of one of my thumbs being the Earth and the other the Moon. The Crystal Gates bend space time," she continued closing her palms, "until from their prospective the Earth and Moon are right next to each other," she finished her thumbs touching. "The formal term for it is an Einstein-Rosen Bridge; the common term is wormhole and is a way to go between two points faster than would be possible in 'normal' space. The problem is other than intense gravity the only way to do that would to access another dimension and that would put stress on any structure."

"So I would have to remake them so that are not as easily shattered. Great."

"Another thing we must consider is the current design has obvious limitations," said Ami. "Instead of doors we could have something like the iris of a human eye or camera. But that would mean the gate themselves would have to be circular rather than rectangular."

"If practical it would be something else to set us off from the Moon Kingdom," said Usagi.

"It got to be better than watching this fall to pieces every few days," commented Ranma in thought. "But a new form suggests a new name. Planet-moon gate perhaps."

"Too wordy and doesn't really capture the scope the clan sees," commented Usagi.

"We have launched spacecraft, how about spacegate," suggested Rei.

"It captures the scope but if I am understanding Thoth correctly this bypasses space," replied Ranma.

"Besides spacecraft is applied to vehicles that have largely traveled _within_ our solar system," commented Ami. "Vehicles that travel between solar systems are called star ships."

"Stargate. I like it," grinned Ranma. "Thoth, lets get some paper and do some rough sketches."

Cautiously Delia left the area to return to the Dark Kingdom and talk to her clan head.

**~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~**

"Roda is alive but not a youma anymore and Zirconite was somehow a _human_?!" asked Delia's clan head Manra.

Delia nodded. "They both mentioned something about Jusenkyo. From what I gathered cold water activates it and hot water reverses whatever effect it has." Delia frowned in thought. "Purple Wiseman made some very strange comments about Saotome Ranma who I learned is Black Wiseman. It was almost… as if he was saying they were different versions of the same person."

"He likely meant it figuratively," commented Manra.

Delia shook her head. "No, Purple Wiseman expressly stated that he and someone called Neo-Queen Serenity would have to return to their own time their own world."

"_Neo_-Queen Serenity?" asked Manra puzzled.

"A glimpse into what might have been and what still is," replied a voice.

Delia and Manra turned. Before them stood a youma with green hair and even greener skin. "I didn't mean to intrude but what I know extends beyond clans and will avoid senseless waste," she said.

Manra leaned forward slightly and responded as the ancient youma tradition demanded. "Your statement has been acknowledged. State your name, clan, and position so that all in presence may know the value of your knowledge."

"I am Chronos Aeon of the Grey Moon Clan and my position is Guardian," said the youma.

"I am honored to meet some of such rank," Manra said bowing her head in respect. Even before Beryl, Guardians had the very difficult duty of protecting the interests and goals of the clan as well as the clan as a whole sometimes in defiance of the Clan Head and Advisor. Because of this the only way to declare a Guardian clanless was for the entire clan to vote on the matter; not that such traditions mattered to the meritless boosted piece of food that called itself Queen Beryl.

Manra then raised her head frowning. "What is your purpose here?"

"To fulfill my duty to my clan, its Advisor, and its Head. To offer the potential for your clan to grow and prosper as ours has."

Manra nodded. It wasn't uncommon for clans to offer alliances as no clan was strong in all things. She suspected that the reason her clan had been chosen was due to Delia but the protocol on addressing another clan's Guardian was very specific on what could and could not be asked. "You made a cryptic comment regarding the name Neo-Queen Serenity."

"To put it as simply as possible she like Purple Wiseman is a time traveler."

"Time traveler?!" asked a stunned Manra. "Are you saying that Neo-Queen Serenity and Purple Wiseman are from… the future?!"

"_A_ future not the future," corrected Chronos Aeon. "History is like a myriad of branching paths where taking the right path does not eliminate the left. For every possible choice there is a history out there. Purple Wiseman's arrival in our time was an accident but he saw the potential to make things better. Thanks to Neo-Queen Serenity and her Sailor Senshi following him the Sailor Senshi of this time got a good look into his future and so far none have been thrilled with what they have seen."

"Do you know what happened in Purple Wiseman's future?" asked Delia earning her a harsh look from Manra.

"Long version, no. Short version yes. It boils down to Beryl get herself killed but managing to kill four Sailor Senshi in the possess but it doesn't matter as they are brought back as very well preserved walking talking corpses. Some two years later Pharaoh 90 and Princess Snow Kaguya attack and between the two of them freeze the Earth and kill 90 percent of the people. Sailor Moon becomes Neo-Queen Serenity and decides to make what is left of the world into her idea of a utopia by cleansing everyone's 'evil' effectively turning them into emotionless zombies and exiling anyone who didn't want to be cleansed to Nemesis."

Manra looked at Chronos Aeon scowling. "So even without Purple Wiseman interference Beryl's project was still doomed."

"Even without the _Sailor Senshi_ it was a doomed effort," said Chronos Aeon returning the scowl. "The technology of this Earth is much different from that of the Earth of the Moon Kingdom. Even if you had achieved a foothold the humans would have torn you to pieces with their technology. It was a suicide mission from the word go and for what?" fumed Chronos Aeon. "So some love crazed boosted piece of food could live out some delusional dream? It's only because you still need that bitch to survive that I am not in her palace turning her into a corpse!" hissed Chronos Aeon the claws on her hands extending.

"Metaria has gotten tired of Beryl and wants us to find a new suitable host," said Manra giving a snort. "Right, like we want to exchange one boosted piece of food for another especially given Metaria's such wonderful judgment regarding her last host or how to handle Queen Serenity."

"I imaging some clans obey her still because that is all they know or in the hope that they gain prestige."

"They have become weak in mind, weak in spirit," Manra growled. She looked at a frowning Chronos Aeon nodding in understanding. "You said the humans could rip us to shreds with their technology."

Chronos Aeon nodded grimly. "Thoth is looking for material that captures the full scope and magnitude of what the humans use against each other and could use against us. Technology that makes the Sailor Senshi attacks look _pleasant_ by comparison."

Manra winced. Most of the youma had all agreed that killing Beryl would be too merciful and many felt Metaria should also suffer. Manra figured what ever she would learn would just add to the pain the majority of the youma had planned for their so called queen and the thing that had boosted her.

~*~*RS*~*~

Chiba Mamoru in his guise as Tuxedo Mask frowned considering his situation. Sailor Moon was cold and distant and it seemed his ability to sense she was in danger was shot to blazes. As he jumped into the Tendo grounds he noticed Purple Wiseman helping Usagi train.

"I hope you are here to do something besides throw roses and give speeches," commented Usagi as she countered one of Wiseman's blows and followed it up with one of her own that was similarly blocked.

"I obtained two of the Rainbow Crystals," Mamoru replied defensively.

"Considering that we were as busy trying to out do each other and do the occasional back stab when serving Beryl, I don't know if that counts for much," commented Zoisite.

Mamoru glared at the former Shitennou who returned the look. "You have to admit, Tuxedo Mask, that our tactics were between nonsexist to throw something together and hope it works," commented Zoisite. "The only reason we were able to do as much as we were was due to the fact we weren't facing trained warriors. If Sailor Moon had had even half of Black Wiseman's knowledge when Beryl started this misadventure there would have been a full scale riot in the Dark Kingdom before the month had been out."

"He does have a point," said Usagi as she used her youma power to absorb a small ki blast by Wiseman and then her martial arts knowledge to send it back where it was absorbed. "Beryl is not a good military strategist by any measure. Only our lack of skill allowed her to retain power this long," Usagi spat a red aura forming around her.

"Watch the emotional ki, Eclipse," warned Wiseman.

Usagi smiled as her aura turned blue. "As long as I mix it up enough I shouldn't have too many problems. I was also curious as to the responses of our three other guests to seeing a battle aura."

"I guess you mean us," said a young voice.

Mamoru turned to see a girl, a young woman and a young man behind him. The girl had long blond hair and a white cat beside her. The young woman nervously ran her hand through her green hair while the young blond haired man beside her scanned the area.

"A young blond haired girl with a white cat who moves like a fighter. I take it you are Sailor V also known as Sailor Venus," said Sailor Moon in her creepy monotone voice.

Usagi raised her hand stopping the training exercise and looked at Sailor Moon frowning as Sailor V blanched taking a slight step back as Sailor Moon continued on. "Given Chronos Aeon's somewhat brief descriptions the masculine looking woman is Sailor Uranus and the other is Sailor Neptune."

Usagi face palmed causing Sailor Moon to look at her. "Something wrong, Eclipse?"

"I would have preferred to wait until they were comfortable here before revealing that we had a good idea who they were in the Moon Kingdom," sighed Usagi as she looked at the now apprehensive threesome. "You will not turn this place into a warzone," she said her eyes narrowing as the moon symbol appeared on her forehead. "I have had it with trigger happy Senshi endangering innocent beings either because they are bigoted idiots or don't take the time to understand what is really going on. Do I make myself clear on this manner?"

Sailor V's head nervously nodded while the other two solemnly nodded. Usagi saw this and smiled. "I see that two of you understand in the proper way, that is at least a start." Usagi then directed her attention to the young man. "Your ki and Adam's apple denote you as female; I also see that you accept my order out of respect and tradition rather than fear. Good, Beryl rules through fear and terror abusing youma tradition and I have no intention of going down that path." Usagi turned toward Sailor V. "You're afraid, most likely because you don't understand."

"If I may, ahh...Eclipse?" asked Sailor Neptune.

"Of course, Chronos Aeon did indicate she tried to explain this situation and I would like to hear how well she did."

"To put it as simply and bluntly as possible thanks to Metaria Beryl can cut off a youma's ability to feed off human ki. She is also their main way of getting to Earth. For centuries that left the youma in the Dark Kingdom two options: obey or slowly starve to death."

Sailor V looked at Usagi in horror which deepened as she saw Usagi nod her head. "That's a gross oversimplification but essentially correct. The details make it even more horrendous."

Sailor V fell to her knees in shock. "You mean all those youma I killed in England were just trying to keep from starving to death?"

"England?" asked Zoidite. "As far as I know all of the Dark Kingdom's operations were here in Japan."

"What? But what about Danburite? He claimed he worked for the Dark Kingdom."

"Danburite?! That maniac was still alive after all this time?" asked a shocked Zoidite.

"You know the name?" asked Usagi.

"Oh yes, I know the name," replied Zoidite. "He was a subordinate of Kunzite who had ambitions to become a fifth Shitennou. He even learned how to store ki to give to the youma under him just like we Shitennou did. The barrier was much stronger back in those days so Beryl could only rarely send a youma to Earth to gather life energy to help further weaken the barrier. It was not uncommon for a youma to spend the rest of their lives alone on Earth carefully collecting human life energy for a clan and kingdom they would never see again."

Zoidite got an introspective look on his face. "Danburite never really liked that and eventually came to believe that youma were superior beings and should rule over _all_ humans. One day he strode into Beryl palace and proclaimed, "I have tired of you and yours. I will create a kingdom where the youma will be held in the esteem deserving them. Then they will return and unseat your boosted ass off that throne." Then he and several clans comprising about 50 youma vanished presumably to Earth."

Zoidite gave a sad smile. "I don't know what stunned Beryl and Metaria more; that he had spoke that way to them or that he had seemed to have easily penetrated a barrier they were still having problems with. Even now with the barrier as weak as it is Beryl and Metaria cannot duplicate Danburite's last action in the Dark Kingdom."

"How long ago was all this?" asked Usagi.

"No idea as with no sun or moon or seasons there is no way to mark passage of time in the Dark Kingdom. In fact the only thing I do remember was that the clans he took with him liked to accent their youma nature by purposely adding non human features to their human forms."

"I wonder," said Rei out loud.

"What do you wonder, Neith?" asked Usagi.

"Beryl sending the occasional youma to Earth could explain stories of shapeshifters and life draining creatures that seem to appear in nearly every mythology in the world and the part about youma clans that added non human features to their human forms could explain a strange fact in Western mythology that I have always wondered about."

"What fact is that?" asked Zoidite.

"The fact Egyptian mythology had so many deities with human bodies but animal heads. But if the Egyptians were inspired by a youma clan that would mean Danburite's trip to Earth happened around 5,000 years ago and that creates a problem."

Zoidite frowned. "I see the point. If he had been around that length of time not attracting undue attention why suddenly change tactics."

"Unless he somehow knew Beryl was going to make her move and wanted to build up a fighting force to face her," commented Usagi.

"It is possible he could have been monitoring the strength of the barrier and moved based on that," stated Zoidite. "His claiming to be still part of the Dark Kingdom worries me as didn't Sun Tzu say 'Warfare is the Way of deception'?"

Usagi frowned. "If near, appear far."

"But the attacks stopped once I killed him!" exclaimed Sailor V still on her knees in shock.

"If active, appear not active, if they are strong, avoid them." countered Usagi.

"You think this Danburite may have fooled them?" asked Luna as Wiseman moved slightly away from the moon cats.

"Yes. If anything I would be surprised if he didn't," said Usagi frowning. She then made a dismissive gesture. "Not that we can do much about it right now. Our main focus has to be on Beryl, Pharaoh 90, and Snow Princess Kaguya. Once those dangers to Earth are eliminated then we can address the minor issues."

"Good choice and explanation, Eclipse," said Ranma emerging from the dojo and walking up a set of drawings in his hand.

"How did he…" began the white cat with Sailor V.

"Simple, unlike the Sailor Senshi from Purple Wiseman's future _he_ listened," commented Usagi.

Ranma pocketed the drawings and pulled out a thermos with a red top. "This might make things easier."

Usagi smiled. "Yes, it might and it will allow me to train in my birth form."

Ranma poured some water into the cup which he then poured over Usagi's head. Everyone watched as Usagi's skin took on human tones and she seemed to slightly shrink in size. Usagi put her hand to her head and shook it slightly. "It is going to take some time for me to get use to that sudden change in ki."

"It is going to take me some time for me to get use to seeing your ki change like that," said Rept. "Human to youma, youma to human."

"Jusenkyo," said Sailor Venus in a hushed voice.

"Yes, Jusenkyo," said Usagi chuckling. "It has allowed us to look beyond what we were born as and go beyond our beliefs and try to understand each other."

"It is hard to think of humans as just either dairy cattle or potential breading stock when you turn into one," said Zirconite.

"Conversely it is hard to think of youma as simply ki draining monsters when you change into one," said Usagi sadly.

Zirconite gently put her hand on Usagi's shoulder. "You didn't know and there was no way that boosted bitch Beryl would have allowed us to let you know even if we had been so inclined."

"I seek Queen Eclipse," said a new voice.

Everyone turned to see a tall man in a priest outfit looking around nervously. "I was told that Sailor Moon's healing caused me to loose part of myself and that she _might_ have the means to get it back."

"What?!" exclaimed Usagi as Ranma frowned.

"Of course," chuckled Wiseman. "I should have seen this coming."

Usagi groaned face palming. "He's right, we all should have seen this coming. Chronos Aeon took over _all_ of Sailor Pluto's duties including the closest thing the Moon Kingdom had to the youma clan position of Guardian."

Ranma now face palmed. "Kuso and we _both_ agreed to Chronos Aeon's request to have the same duties to the Grey Moon Clan as Pluto did to the Moon Kingdom." Ranma then sighed. "Ok, I see how this is in the best interests of the clan and its goals but that doesn't mean I _like_ it."

Usagi nodded. "Neither do I but unlike Sailor Pluto's actions this I understand." Usagi gestured to a pair of outdoor showers and led the priest to the shower with the grey curtain. "This is Pool of Drowned Youma from Jusenkyo. It may only change your form but it may help you regain what was lost. Know this much there is no cure. Regardless of the outcome you will have one foot in the human world and the other in the youma world."

The priest nodded in understanding and stepping in the shower squeezed the bulb. Everyone watched as he turned into a youma that resembled Roda's form with what looked like boxing gloves on his hands. "I remember," he growled stepping from the shower. "I am Boxy. I am a champion." A bell on his belt rang. "Lovely Punch!" he yelled one of his gloves flying at Sailor Moon who calmly stepped out of the way the glove putting a hole in the outer wall.

"Looks like he remembers our last encounter and is upset about how it ended," said Sailor Moon in her calm monotone.

"Hold it right there, Boxy," snapped Usagi grabbing the youma's arm as the people in the dojo came out to see what was going on. "Sailor Moon is not your personal punching bag."

Boxy turned its red eyes seeming to get brighter as he looked at Usagi. "Food," he said grinning.

"Just like Jiji, well here is the seven course meal," Usagi replied a red aura forming around her that quickly changed to blue then slowly to a bluish white.

"After all this time can it be?" asked the stunned Boxy. "A human that is more than just food?" Boxy put his hands to his forehead. "No, _I_ am human. I am a priest, a man of God. No, I am Boxy one of the Daiyōma clan most respected of all youma clans."

"You are both!" snapped Usagi still holding the youma's arm. "Just as I am the human Tsukino Usagi and the youma Eclipse, Clan Head of the Grey Moon Clan."

Boxy again looked at the girl on his arm frowning as he evaluated her ki.

"I hope you are not going to do something else stupid, Boxy," said Ranma.

Boxy looked up and gasped. "Never before have I seen a human with this much life energy."

"I am Saotome Ranma, also known as Black Wiseman, Advisor of the Grey Moon Clan."

"Boxy, I know this is confusing," said Roda walking up to Boxy, "But things have changed since the fall of the Moon Kingdom."

"Sailor Moon…"

"Is not important," interrupted Usagi. "Take a look at her ki if you don't believe me."

Boxy frowned as he looked at Sailor Moon. "What _is_ she?"

"The powers of a long dead kingdom given human form and intelligence," said Usagi. "Little actual skill and no emotion but she is useful to the clan."

"Mind telling me just what is going on?" asked an annoyed Uranus.

"That is going to take a while," said Ranma wincing.

"Unfortunately we don't have the time," said the voice of Chronos Aeon from behind Ranma.

Ranma turned scowling. "I figured you didn't pop in for a social call. For the way your ki is I would say were in the Dark Kingdom likely trying implement chapter 13 of Sun Tzu. So what went wrong?"

"Neo-Queen Serenity showed up and I believe she is about to do something insanely stupid."

"And this is news?" asked Wicked Lady.

"Kuso, she couldn't be _that_ stupidly idealistic," groaned Wiseman.

"I don't get it," said Wicked Lady frowning. "I've got her Ginzuishou. So how is she going to fix the world?"

"Kuso, that is not what she is talking about," said Usagi.

"No it isn't," said Genma scowling as he approached the group. "She may still be able to call on her power as Sailor Moon. She still has the passive ki from handling Ginzuishou for nearly a millennium. She knows her friends are nothing more than corpses animated by her magic. She knows that Purple Wiseman would never harm her daughter. She knows that Eclipse and the Grey Moon Clan can give the youma in the Dark Kingdom a better life. She knows that her rulership of the Earth has been a full-fledged disaster. Given all that what is the one thing she _can_ do?"

Wicked Lady's eyes widened and then she screamed. "NEO-QUEEN SERENITY NO BAKA!"

**~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~**

Manra took a deep breath and tentatively approached the five figures that had worried Chronos Aeon enough that she had to invoke her duty as Guardian and return to her clan. While four of the figures had so low ki levels that she wondered how they were alive at all the fifth figure had power unlike anything she had ever seen though she felt it was somehow off.

"Per the instructions of Chronos Aeon, Guardian of the Grey Moon clan I, Manra, clan head of the Succub clan ask your intentions, Neo-Queen Serenity."

"Mars, if you so much as _start_ to get into an attack stance I'll _personally_ rip your hot headed skull from your shoulders," hissed the high ki being to the low ki dressed in red who scowled at her.

"You'd kill me? Your best friend?" asked Mars.

"How can I kill someone who has been dead over a millennium?" responded Neo-Queen Serenity. "My intentions are simple; I'm putting Beryl out of the Dark Kingdom's misery. Now if you excuse us we have a mad dog named Queen Beryl to put down," said Neo-Queen Serenity as she started walking toward Beryl's throne room.

Inside Beryl's throne room Beryl tensed as a smoke colored object rose out of the ground as the life energy coming from it could feed nearly the entire Dark Kingdom for the next three months. The object was curved at the top looking like an archway though there was a ramp of sort leading to the lower part of a circle composed of two colors: one black the other white. Inside each was circle of the other color given the impression of two animals chasing each other.

Beryl watched as the circle started to spin gaining speed until it became one grey mass that seemed to become transparent. Through the circle stepped a winged female that accounted for most of the ki Beryl had sensed who took two steps and fell to her knees.

"Who are you?" asked a nearby youma.

"Sa Fulang, Guardian of the Black Moon clan," said the female.

"Sa Fulang!" yelled a male voice as a figure dressed in a purple robe glowing like a fully enraged youma emerged from the gray mist shortly followed by group of youma and humans some of which Beryl recognized.

'Two of them look like Jiji and Boxy,' thought Beryl nervously. 'But they disappeared right after the battle with the Moon Kingdom so it can't be them. That human looks like a younger version of Eclipse and that man is wearing the robe of Black Wiseman but he is too young.'

"Why so angry?" asked Sa Fulang as the purple robed figure keeled. "We both knew this was our worse case solution if things went totally south. Besides we both know that as a Phoenix kami death is a very temporary thing for me."

"Sa Fulang, if you think that just because you will come back makes your death easier for me you are an idiot." fumed Purple Robe the red aura around him getting brighter. "You are the only person from my own time who is still around, the only living link to the time before I became Wiseman."

"Wiseman?" asked Beryl trembling.

Wiseman turned his aura taking on a slight orange tinge. "You must be Queen Beryl. It is only because Nitwit-Queen Simpleton is about to do something incredibly stupid that we are even here—that we are even doing this," hissed the man. "As much as it pains me the youma still need you alive," said the figure two points of light flashing under the hood which Beryl realized was the man's eyes. "But that doesn't mean I can't _hurt_ you," said Wiseman as he took a step forward.

"Wait a minute, Wiseman," said the young man grabbing Purple Wiseman's arm. "Martial artists don't use the totally unskilled as punching bags."

"This is not about martial arts, _Ranma," _hissed Wiseman looking at Black Wiseman while pointing to Beryl. "This is about _justice_. Justice for all the youma who died alone away from their clans. Justice for the youma who went head long to their deaths because they had no other options. Justice for the over 200 billion humans and youma that died with the Moon Kingdom."

"Black Wiseman has a point. Is this justice or vengeance, Wiseman?" responded the human that looked a lot like Eclipse.

"My dear Usagi, do you think in my over 1,000 years that I haven't figured out that not all pain is physical. I can put Beryl and the Airhead through Hell on Earth without so much as bruising them."

"Neo-Queen Serenity, as much as we hate the boosted bitch, Beryl, she and the Shitennou with her are our only food right now," said a youma's voice.

"Speak of the Devil," snarled Wiseman turning to face the new comer.

Beryl looked in the direction Wiseman was facing and felt cold. "Queen Serenity and the Sailor Senshi?!"

"No, this is _Neo_-Queen Serenity," snapped Wiseman. "The Black Moon clan and Neo-Queen Serenity's little group here are time travelers. We are from what was your _future_." Wiseman glanced at the youma in the area. "Let all in my presence know that I am Purple Wiseman, Advisor of the Black Moon clan. In my history Queen Beryl and all who served her were defeated by Sailor Senshi who didn't know Sun Tzu at all. All my accidental arrival did was speed up the time table for defeat the boosted piece of food that calls itself Queen Beryl saving the lives of many youma in the process."

"Neo-Queen Serenity, Genma figured out what you are here to do and we can't allow it," growled Usagi.

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed. "Ranma did say that every so often his father would have a flash of brilliant insight. This must have been one of those times."

"Actually it was the fact that Purple Wiseman and Eclipse agreed with half of his insight that we came here," commented Black Wiseman.

"According to Wiseman the barrier hasn't weakened enough that King Pendragon can turn the passive Human ki of Earth into active ki the youma can use while they work to find and free him," said Usagi angrily. "Also even with a far more weakened barrier of hundred years later and the resources of thousand of ki experts it still took nearly year to establish a unlimited permanent portal to and from the Dark Kingdom. That means if you kill Beryl now you could be potentially condemning hundreds if not thousands of youma to death by slow starvation."

"What was the part Genma suggested that you didn't agree with?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Some idiocy about you might have the back up idea of somehow replacing Beryl as the youma's main food source," said Wiseman dismissively as three of Neo-Queen Serenity's group winced.

"The important fact is that Black Wiseman had a plan to set up a permanent but limited portal to Earth to destroy what hold Beryl still had over the youma in the Dark Kingdom. The only thing he needed was time to gather the needed ki for both the portal and the planned moon base. Your idiotic stunt took that away," roared Wiseman pointing to Sa Fulang his aura now bright as a fully enraged youma.

"To create the portal and ensure enough excess ki for the youma here not to need it for months required Sa Fulang to go through his lifecycle early. Unlike me he dies and rebirths and because his upbringing is never the same something unique is lost when he dies. You took seventy years of this cycle away from me because you acted without thinking. I have finally had it with your idealistic stupidity; time to show you just what your dream really was, _Usagi_," snarled Wiseman as he ran up and grabbed Neo-Queen Serenity his aura now the color of flowing blood.

Beryl trembled as a scream unlike anything she had heard before emerged from the lips of Neo-Queen Serenity as the aura enveloped her. The only thing even close had been the sound Queen Serenity had made when one of Beryl's blasts had hit the Princess killing her but this was worse much worse.

"Kuso, he's lost it," said Ranma as he and Usagi ran up and tried to grab Wiseman and the Sailor Senshi tried to pull Neo-Queen Serenity away. Neo-Queen Serenity had by this time stopped screaming and was just whimpering.

"Ouch, it's like trying to grab a hot poker," said Usagi as all pulled their hands from the pair.

"We've got to do something," said one of the Sailor Senshi.

"There is nothing any of you can do," growled Wiseman. "I am Saotome Ranma with 1,000 years more experience in the martial arts and ki manipulation. _None_ of you have the skill to even slow me down."

"I may not have the skill, but there is one thing you yourself admitted I have you don't," replied Ranma who then pointed to the ground away from him. "Hey look, a 10,000 yen note."

As all the Sailor Senshi face faulted the red aura winked out and Wiseman slowly turned and stared at Ranma. "I can't still be _that_ stupid!"

"I'm not, but you are!" said Ranma as he kneed Wiseman in the groin.

"Arrggeee," said Wiseman clutching the space between his legs as Neo-Queen Serenity fell to her knees staring into space as she had just seen the something straight out of the depths of Hell itself.

"Boxy, Usagi, see if you can do anything for Neo-Queen Serenity while I keep this future me occupied," said Ranma as he back flipped kicking Wiseman in the face knocking him down. Beryl now felt a chill go down her spine but what happened next stunned everyone.

Wiseman started to laugh. "I can't believe it. One of Pops' lamest techniques and 1,000 years later I still fell for it."

"Only because you never expected me to even try to use it."

Wiseman shook his head as he stood, "You're further along in understanding Sun Tzu then I gave you credit for."

"Kami-sama in heaven," whispered Neo-Queen Serenity as she looked up a horrible haunted look on her face as Boxy and Usagi slowly pulled her to a standing position. "Thousands upon thousands of possible alternative futures and every one with a Wiseman; every possible alternative to you an undead psychotic maniac."

"Not only that but every one of them with 'kill Neo-Queen Serenity at all cost' on the top of their things to do list," commented Wiseman folding his arms. "_Now_ do you understand why your dream was doomed?"

Neo-Queen Serenity scowled as she moved from Boxy and Usagi. "I understand that but not why your friend needs to go through his life cycle early. You have the Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou, certainly they should be enough to…"

"BAKA," retorted Usagi. "The majority of the ki in the Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou is death ki. totally unsuited to youma consumption. Even if you can still become Sailor Moon you don't have enough ki to keep all the youma here fed if as Genma suggested you had in the back your mind some crazy idea of replacing Beryl as the youma's food source."

"What of Wiseman?" asked Mercury apparently not noticing that three of her group again winced.

"My mate is good but even he is not that good," said an elderly voice.

Wiseman turned and ran to Sa Fulang. Neo-Queen Serenity, the Sailor Senshi with her, Beryl, and several youma gasped; the previously young female was now an aged woman.

"I'm here, Sa Fulang," said Wiseman cradling the now ancient looking woman.

"Saotome Ranma who was first my killer, than my friend, then my mother and father, and finally my mate," said the aged voice as a now knarled hand caressed Wiseman's cheek. "You know this was the only available way to solve this."

"I know here," Wiseman said pointing to his head. "But that doesn't mean I know here," he finished pointing to his heart.

"You were able to forgive me for trying to kill the woman you loved as well as Neo-Queen Serenity for the fate of your friends and first loves. Why is my temporary death any different?"

"As I told the Airhead, you're never the exact same person because your upbringing is never exactly the same. That is why I morn each of your passings because something unique is lost."

"But isn't something unique born in each cycle?" asked Sa Fulang dying in Wiseman's arms.

"Yes, there is," said Wiseman gently laying Sa Fulang's body down. Wiseman reached into his robes and put a yellow crystal in Sa Fulang's hands and took a step back as the body started to glow.

"What's happening?" asked a startled youma.

"What should be a very rare event," said Wiseman glaring at Neo-Queen Serenity as the glow formed itself into a golden egg. "The death and rebirth of a Phoenix kami," finished Wiseman turning to face the egg.

The glow diminished showing a solid surface which promptly started to crack. Wiseman removed his hood showing what looked like a slightly older version of Black Wiseman's features. Then as impossible as it was Wiseman's features changed. The masculine face became more feminine in nature as the hair changed from black to a red not too dissimilar from Beryl's own in color.

"He changed form but he is _human_," was repeated among the youma again and again almost like a chant. Beryl sat on her throne totally dumbfounded at a human that demonstrated youma like powers.

The egg shattered and in the midst of the fragments was a young girl perhaps ten who stretched and yawned before grabbing the remaining shell of the egg she was sitting in. The girl then glowed the color of the egg as it crumbled to dust. She then looked up at the now female Wiseman smiling. "Mommy," said the child running up and hugged Wiseman's legs.

"Sa Fulang," said Wiseman picking up the child and hugging her.

"This is so much better than the old days when I had to relearn _everything_," chirped Sa Fulang.

"I get it," said Ranma. "That crystal Wiseman gave you contained your memories as well a part of your own ki."

"Almost correct, Black Wiseman," grinned Sa Fulang. "We agreed that the crystal shouldn't contain _all_ my old memories but rather enough for me to recognize the main people in my previous life. I won't gain all the memories of my previous cycle until after my ascension which will be in about 6 to 11 years depending on a host of factors."

"I gave my world of honor as a martial artist that I would not deprive Sa Fulang of his or her childhood or nor would I engage in any avoidable battle that might endanger him-her before ascension," said Wiseman as he turned back to the portal. "That is part of the reason why part of the Grey Moon clan is here—to reason with you and your friends and if that fails use you and your undead friends as practice dummies."

"Part of the reason?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"The other reason is to strip what little power Beryl still has and neutralize her even as a possible distraction," said Ranma as Wiseman carried Sa Fulang back through the portal.

"So you would take my kingdom away from me just as the Princess took my love all those centuries before, Black Wiseman?" asked an angry Beryl as she glared at Ranma.

"Take _your_ kingdom?" responded a youma clan head angrily. "You egotistic little boosted piece of food, this was _never_ your kingdom because we never _respected_ you. We only obeyed you because the only alternative was to watch our clans slowly starve to death because that Metaria creature that boosted you could cut off our ability to feed off human ki here. How many good youma rushed into hopeless battles with the Sailor Senshi because they would have been declared clanless if they had simply ran away?"

"Far too many," said Usagi wincing as Ranma put his hand on her shoulder.

"We can't bring the youma who have died back but we can end Beryl's hold over you," said Ranma gesturing to the portal behind him. "This is what we call a Stargate and as stated before it is a _permanent_ portal to Earth though the Grey Moon clan _will_ monitor access and it is set up to where only 10 a day can pass through. The previous actions by the Dark Kingdom have made the human governments nervous so we will not have a continuation of those actions."

"You can't think it is going to be _that_ easy, Ranma," said Mars.

"Typical comment from someone who has shown she can't be bothered to even try to understand the youma culture of the Dark Kingdom," responded Usagi scowling.

"Try to understand the youma culture of the Dark Kingdom? I am having enough problems understanding you!" yelled Mars. "Allying yourself with that Mistress 9 maniac as well as turning my grandfather into a youma just like Zodite did. If anything you bunch are more dangerous than Beryl."

"Jiji, don't do anything rash," Usagi commented as the youma stepped toward Mars.

"The only thing I am going to do is speak my mind," growled Jiji. "I don't know _what_ you are. Mars; but I know one thing—you are _not_ my granddaughter."

Mars reacted as if she had been physically slapped in the face as Jiji continued. "While my granddaughter can be hot headed at times and her mato training and Catholic schooling did have her initially put youma in the same class as demons she was open minded enough to at least try to understand them by becoming one and she would never willing endanger any innocent people," Jiji said gesturing to Thoth.

"You on the other hand are nothing but a walking corpse animated by the magic of a long gone kingdom who has nothing but anger and hate for those not like you in what passes for your heart to the point that you knowingly tried to start a battle on holy ground that could have endangered the human there."

Mars stood there for a moment her jaw hanging open and then angrily turned to Neo-Queen Serenity. "Just don't stand there, Meatball Head. Do something! Use that Moon Healing Escalation and…"

"No," interrupted Neo-Queen Serenity. "Eclipse made a good point when I last saw her—it made the fight easier for us to think of the youma as irredeemable evil things rather than living thinking beings with complex views and beliefs. As long as Beryl ran things there could be no progress, no peace; that is why I came up with this plan," Neo-Queen Serenity said smiling sadly. "My timeline's Ranma said that every so often his father would get things right."

Sailor Mercury's eyes widened in horror as she looked at Neo-Queen Serenity. "You knew the youma would still need a food source if we killed Beryl now. You were planning on being their replacement food source!"

"WHAT?!" screamed Mars who paused noting Venus and Jupiter were getting really interested in the ground of the Dark Kingdom. "You two knew," she said in shock.

"I owed them that much for turning them into these mockeries of life," said Neo-Queen Serenity causing Mars to glare at her.

"But you decided that Mercury and I did not deserve the same courtesy of knowing your real plan was not to die with the rest of us but to live on letting the youma do with you as they saw fit."

"I showed you two the exact same courtesy you showed me, Venus, and Jupiter about what I had really done at the end of our battle with Beryl," replied Neo-Queen Serenity her voice cold and harsh.

"Neo-Queen Serenity, you know that my martial arts code forbids me from allowing you go through with this," said Ranma. "Especially as given the emotional roller coaster you have been ever since you and my possible future self met you can't be in a good emotional state right now."

"Can't be in good emotional state, he says," giggled Neo-Queen Serenity tears starting to go down her face as she faced Ranma. "I have found that the youma I had been blasting with all the concern of turning off a light bulb were simply trying to survive, in saving my friends I instead turned them into well preserved corpses, my utopia was about as well thought as your father's idea to train you in the Neko-ken, our defense of the Earth in our history was little more then a joke, and the Pluto who I have been trusting for nearly 800 years isn't even the real deal. OF COURSE I'M NOT IN A GOOD EMOTIONAL STATE, YOU BAKA!"

Ranma winced. "Ok that didn't quite come out the way I wanted but even as messed up as your ki was from challenging one emotion most of the time and long term proximity to the Ginzuishou, I could tell that you weren't in a good state when we last met and my future self dumping loads of anger ki into you certainly hasn't helped."

"Your Queen Eclipse must be something if she sends human children to do her bidding," commented Beryl as she sneered at Usagi.

"Black Wiseman, cold water, now," growled Usagi.

"Nice job, Beryl," growled Ranma as he pulled out a blue capped thermos. "Now you've made _me_ angry," he finished pour a little of the contents on Usagi's head.

Beryl paled as the young girl morphed into the now familiar form of Queen Eclipse and the youma in her palace whispered, "She _was_ human but she is now _youma_."

"Queen Beryl, I believe a formal introduction is needed," hissed the figure as it approached Beryl's throne glowing much as Wiseman had. "In this form I am Eclipse, clan head of the Grey Moon clan and the only reason I am using it now is because have insulted not only my honor but that of my clan."

Beryl gulped as the figure of Queen Eclipse finally stood at the foot of her throne glaring at her. To insult a clan head's honor was borderline insanity but to insult their clan...

"Sadly my honor and that of my clan will have to wait as from what I have heard there must be many others before me who can claim what is due them," hissed Eclipse.

"If you're going to kill me be done with it," retorted Beryl knowing that the long and likely painful death her outburst had ensured would preferable to what many of the remaining youma in the Dark Kingdom had planned for her.

"Kill you? Weren't you listening, Beryl? The only reason we came here was to keep Neo-Queen Serenity from killing you and trying to replace you as the Dark Kingdom's main food source." Eclipse then smiled as she turned. "It's not like you are worth killing, not anymore."

"What of me?" asked Metaria through Beryl.

Eclipse paused, her back still to Beryl. "I assume you are Metaria. I hold you partly responsible for the end of the Moon Kingdom and what has happened here for the last 12,000 years. I will leave it to the youma here to determine how they want to deal with you." Eclipse then gestured. "Black Wiseman, hot water, please."

Ranma nodded and pulled out a thermos with a red top that he poured part of the contents on Eclipse's head. Beryl and Metaria watched as Eclipse morphed into the human girl as the youma murmured, "She _was_ youma but she is now _human_."

"Beryl, you are so beneath my notice that I am not afraid of having my back to you in what I consider the weaker of my two forms," said Usagi as she walked away from Beryl's throne.

"Damn it, Metaria," roared Beryl her face purple with rage, "let go of my body so I can…"

"So you can dig yourself in deeper then you already have?" replied Metaria using Beryl's voice. "You forget that whatever your body feels I also feel."

"Until the youma find you a new suitable host," retorted Beryl.

Usagi spun around scowling. "If you think for a moment I am going to let you window shop for a new host and potentially start this mess up again on our Earth you have another thing coming, Metaria."

"With this portal that will not be a concern as we won't need either of them," said Manra.

"It's the youma that greeted us when we arrived," commented Mars.

"I do have a name, whatever you are," snapped Manra who then turned to Usagi. "I am Manra clan head of the Succub clan."

Usagi and Ranma both blinked, looked at each other, and then back at Manra.

"Based on various legends we have am I safe in assuming that you prefer your ki with a certain emotional component in it?" asked Ranma nervously his hand going back behind his head as Usagi blushed.

Manra chuckled. "I believe the word you are looking for is lust, Black Wiseman." Manra then nodded in the direction of two of the humans. "Though we don't mind when it is mixed with actual love as in the case of those two human females."

"So that is why your clan was so eager to be near Kunzite and myself," commented one of the human females.

Manra cocked her head to one side in puzzlement. "Your ki is definitely female but there is a familiar…Zoisite?"

"Figured you would remember me if I dropped the right kind of hints," grinned Zoisite.

Kunzite's jaw dropped open as he approached the quite clearly female Zoisite. "Zoisite? But how?"

"The same way they were able to allow Roda to join their clan even though she was clanless; Jusenkyo," said Delia giving a soft chuckle. "Isn't that right, Zirconite?"

Another one of the humans nodded a smile growing on her face. "Glad you remembered me," she said. "There is still the little issue of you calling Roda a _thing_. The pool she fell into is of the people who are ruled by Sa Fulang who gave 70 years of his life so you won't starve or be dependent on Beryl."

Delia winced and knelt her arms crossed over her chest. "I was in shock and spoke in both ignorance and arrogance. I apologize to her and her clan for my unthinking insult."

"That's alright," said Ranma as he pulled Delia to her feet, "You are not the only one who went off and said things that shouldn't have been said."

"Just what _is_ this Jusenkyo?" asked Beryl her eyes narrowing as a thought passed through her mind.

"Jusenkyo is a small valley in China near its long boarder with Tibet that changes whatever falls into its pools into something else," responded Usagi. "It like Ginzuishou's counterpart, the Jakokusuishou, is just one of the many _tools_ our clan can use."

Beryl frowned. "I wasn't aware the Ginzuishou had a counterpart."

"It wouldn't have done you any good," said Ranma. "The Jakokusuishou was designed to produce yin ki energy to balance the Ginzuishou's ability to produce yang. From what we have been able to figure out Queen Serenity created the Dark Kingdom by forcing the Ginzuishou to produce _yin_ rather than its normal yang energy killing over 200 billion people across six planets as well as Earth's Moon in the process."

"Beryl saw the announcement by Queen Eclipse," said Manra.

"You will have to excuse the title," said Usagi, "but it was necessary to establish certain concepts to those listening."

"I imagine that the criteria of your clan also applies to using the portal."

"Of course," said Usagi as Ranma walked over to Beryl's crystal ball.

"There are reasons for our caution," said Ranma his hand touching the crystal causing an image to form. "I thought that might work."

The image shifted to a man shooting flame into some caves. "Who needs a Sailor Mars when you have flame throwers that any soldier can use?"

"Is this what Chronos Aeon meant about the technology of this Earth's humans being able to tear us to pieces?" asked a horrified Delia.

"This is only part of it," said Ranma as the image of a ruined city formed followed by humans with horrific soars on their bodies. "This is how our Earth's _Second_ World War ended just 50 years ago," said Ranma his voice cold as ice. "I have been informed that the inventor of the weapon responsible for this quoted from some Hindu scripture after its first test: behold I have become Death—the destroyer of worlds."

"How? How did we miss _this_?" asked a horrified Kunzite.

"You were too focused on the present and didn't pay enough attention to the past," said Ranma as the image changed to an animated drawing of a flying machine. "We not only remember but try to recapture the true horror of the day the sun rose twice," said Ranma as the plane dropped one lone object. For the next two minutes everyone watched as humans were literally dissolved and buildings and vehicles destroyed finally ending with a mushroom cloud. "This was a recreation of Hiroshima, August 6, 1945. 8:15 in the morning," said Ranma removing his hand allowing the image to fade.

"BERYL, YOU MANIAC!" screamed Manra extending her claws.

"Menra, would you like a little sparring?" asked Ranma concerned. "It might take the edge off so you don't try and rip Beryl's head off and it will give the youma of the Dark Kingdom a glimpse into the world of martial arts."

"Spar as in mock combat? Yes it would help prevent me from losing track of the fact we still need this otherwise waste of space," said Menra gesturing to Beryl.

"Your move," said Ranma.

Menra nodded and moved to grab Ranma by lashing out her arm. Ranma chuckled as he jumped out of the way and grabbed the arm. The next thing Menra knew she was being rapidly pulled toward Ranma followed by a fist right into her gut. "Left yourself open there, Menra," said Ranma.

Menra gave a wry smile as she pushed Ranma away. She then frowned as Ranma dodged or blocked everything she could throw at him. "Is this normal?" she asked still trying to make any headway.

"In Nerima, I guess it would be considered normal but then the ward does tend to attract martial artists for some reason. In terms of the world in general I would have to say it is not normal as most people do not have the ability or drive to go through the training required to get first Dan never mind beyond that."

"First Dan?" asked Menra as she took a step back evaluating Ranma's stance.

"Until about a century ago you had to present certificates or scrolls to show your skill level in any Ryu. Jigorō Kanō founded the Ryu of Judo and created a kyu/dan system of ranks which is a quick way to refer to skill…even if the Ryu doesn't formally have such a ranking system," said Ranma who then smiled. "Musabetsu Kakutō and Jeet Kune Do are Ryu that have similar philosophies—take techniques from other Ryu and make them part of your Ryu, refine, adapt and, change the style to fit changing situations."

Menra blinked in realization. "That is why you don't seem to be in a defensive or attack posture—it would limit your response."

"Exactly," grinned Ranma. "Even before I found the teachings of Sun Tzu the Musabetsu Kakutō Ryu was built on adaptability but using Sun Tzu rather than the Ryu's grandmaster or my father's philosophy not only gave the Ryu respectability but drastically expanded its horizons."

Ranma then gestured to his companions. "Contrary to what non martial artists think becoming a 'black belt' or first Dan does not mean you are a master-all it really means is you have reached the point where you can _begin_ expert training. In theory the grades of Dan can go on forever; in practicality it is very rare for someone to achieve the grade of tenth Dan. Ego aside, as good as I am, I am perhaps just at the grade of third Dan."

"What of Purple Wiseman?" asked Beryl apprehensively.

"He wears a weighted vest to slow himself down to where he can train students but even with that vest he is easily tenth Dan; without it he is so off the charts it is not funny." Ranma then gestured to the youma. "But enough about martial arts. There are some 200 different nations on our Earth and not of them are going to be friendly but you need to have relations with them. That means creating some form of governmental structure that they can relate to and communicate with."

"With your Grey Moon Clan running things, of course," commented Beryl.

"Actually, no and the reason why is because no one group is going to be in total control," said Usagi.

"What?" asked Beryl as some of the youma nodded in seeming understanding.

"What Usagi is talking about is division of power—a concept familiar to the youma clans," said Thoth. "In this case though we are using the structure of the United States which made the division along different lines with the powers of making laws, enforcing them, and interpreting them is broken up into the Congress, President, and Supreme Court with various checks and balances so that no one part is more powerful then the other." Thoth pulled out a book. "I brought a copy of the US Constitution so you would get a general idea of what is involved. Not all of it will apply here but at least it will be better than starting from scratch."

As the youma were given the basics of what the government of the United States was like, Neo-Queen Serenity quietly walked over to Beryl's throne and sat down next to it.

"Just who are you?" asked Beryl.

"I am what Usagi would have become if Purple Wiseman hadn't come back in time—a pathetic idealistic joke," said Neo-Queen Serenity bitterly.

"How can you say that?" asked the Sailor Senshi who reminded Beryl of Sailor Venus.

"Take a good hard look," said Neo-Queen Serenity nodding in the direction of the Grey Moon clan with the youma listening to Thoth's explanation. "Our Wiseman fought not with fists or energy blasts but with different ideas and ways of thinking. He inspired his younger-self and mine to create the Grey Moon Clan which has accomplished more in the last few weeks then we did in the successive seven months and they have done it without killing a single youma. Beryl may be alive but her hold over the Dark Kingdom has been totally destroyed. The knowledge of something like the Dark Kingdom might be enough to convince the Makaiju aliens to try and make contact eliminating the need for a battle with them. That leaves them with more than enough time to plan for the attacks of Pharaoh 90 and Princess Snow Kaguya especially as Chronos Aeon is clearly actively helping them."

"Neo, what has happened to you?" asked Mars.

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed the lost look coming back into her eyes. "Eclipse said for all his pessimism Purple Wiseman still believed I would do the right thing. She also asked if I was going to keep giving up on myself by trying to live up to the ideals of a long dead kingdom." Neo-Queen Serenity then gave a humorless chuckle. "The ironic thing is I came up with this plan precisely because I no longer believed in the Moon Kingdom but in so doing I still gave up on myself. I suspect _that_ is what made our Wiseman so mad."

Beryl saw Black Wiseman aka Ranma made a gesture before approaching Neo-Queen Serenity shaking his head. "You get close but never quite hit the bullseye, Neo-Queen Serenity," he said. "Purple Wiseman was angry not just because you gave up on yourself but by the teachings of Sun Tzu what you had planned was reckless beyond belief. The simple fact is he believes he _needs_ you but I wonder if it is really you or the woman he remembers you being before this whole mess began."

Neo-Queen Serenity chuckled. "I can't imagine your future-self not realizing what effect all this is having on me."

"Not so much as not realizing but missing the depth. He is so use to looking at things in the long term that his short term planning skills have atrophied to the point that one of Pops' more ludicrous techniques actually had a chance to work. You on the other hand are still thinking in short term terms will little regard for the long term. Yin and yang. But things are never really that simple, never really black and white."

Neo-Queen Serenity gave a snort causing some of the youma to look in her direction. "I know that Eclipse has decided on making a _better_ world rather than a perfect one."

Ranma sighed. "And why can't you do the same? You think that Purple Wiseman expects you fix things the moment you get back? You are going to have to figure out how your version of the Ginzuishou works before you even begin to try to clean things up."

"Assuming my wayward daughter even lets me near it."

"Part of her issues has to be due to all the yin energy you absorbed into the Ginzuishou with your cleansing. She came here thinking you and your husband didn't love her because you were too busy living your fantasy life. That anger was transferred to Pluto in short order and now I suspect that it is now focused at Queen Serenity and Beryl. The problem I have is there is no way to tell how much of her memories are due to the yin energy effecting her and how much are due to it effecting you and your Sailor Senshi. You are going to have to find the inner fire you once had; the fire that my counterpart still sees in you."

"Black Wiseman?" asked Delia.

"Yes?"

"If I may be so bold, how old are you?"

"I am 17 years old."

"SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD?!" screeched Beryl as she stood her full height. "I WAS BESTED BY CHILDREN?!"

Ranma then turned to Beryl scowling as some more of the youma approached curious about the coming verbal exchange between Beryl and Black Wiseman. "Watch who you call a child, Beryl. Pops had me training in the Art nearly from the time I could walk. Anything he thought would make me weak or distract from Art he either removed from my life or would say it was only something weak girls would do. He took me away from my mother when I was two but not before tricking me into signing a contract that I didn't come back as a man among man he and I would kill ourselves," said Ranma the youma listening in scowling and a few producing serious battle auras.

Ranma continued seemingly unaware of the reactions his thumbnail sketch of his life was producing among the youma. "Pops wasn't above tricking me to steal for him by calling it training and later on would grab any technique he thought useful and train me in it even if he hadn't fully read the thing first. Even though he had an honor agreement with the Tendos he still set up agreement with Ukyo's father so he could get her okonomiyaki cart as a dowry to feed his belly."

"Let's not forget about how he knocked me out preventing my man to man duel with Ryoga or stumbling around China with next to no idea on how to even read Chinese. I could go on, Beryl but the point is to get the skill and power I have meant I gave up even seeing my mother for 14 years, any meaningful social interaction with other humans for much of that time, and have so many conflicting agreements that my personal honor is a disaster and right now I have no idea on how to straighten out the mess. But despite all that I am far more of an adult then you are!" finished Ranma staring into Beryl's reddish orange eyes.

Beryl gulped at whatever she saw in Ranma's blue eyes and slowly sat back down in her throne.

"Black Wiseman, I don't know if I should be thanking your father or trying to hurt him," said Delia scowling.

"If he ever tells you about the Neko-ken, it will be definitely be to hurt the lazy idiot," said Neo-Queen Serenity.

"That can wait," said Ranma. "I want some youma to go though the portal and come to school with us in your native forms."

Beryl snorted. "Like that would work."

"You never got full reports about Tokyo's Nerima ward did you?" asked Zirconite. "Furikhan High School has a human principal with what looks like a little palm tree growing out of his head with an obsession with cutting hair, a tannin-English teacher who changes from little girl to young woman by draining ki, as well as a three foot high Grandmaster that gropes women to drain their ki stealing their underwear in the process resulting in a sizable mob of human females chasing him trying to pound him. Believe me having youma going to school in their normal forms in Nerima is not going to have the result you think."

~*~*Nerima Ward*~*~

The next day a mixed group of youma and humans stepped on to Furikhan High School's grounds. "Kuno, I have wondrous news," said Ranma.

"Something more wondrous then more potential candidates for the Grey Moon clan?" asked Kuno approaching.

"Beryl's remaining power had been broken. She is now Queen in name only."

"Were there any causalities unseating the corrupting sorceress?"

"One, Sa Fulang who gave 70 years of his life to end Beryl's remaining power." Ranma put his hand on Kuno's shoulder. "But fret not Sa Fulang has been reborn as a 10 year old girl and will have many more years of life in front of her."

"If only I the Blue Thunder had there."

Ranma shook his head. "You are skilled fighter but what was needed was someone skilled in ki generation. Even Purple Wiseman could not do what was needed," said Ranma sadly. "What happened in the Dark Kingdom itself was anti-climatic as there were no epic battles to be fought with sword and fist. Sa Fulang's sacrifice sped up what would have eventually happened and likely saved many lives." Ranma paused. "I think I am beginning to understand what the leader of the United States must have gone through when he decided between Operation Downfall and the bomb. Sometimes there are no really good choices to be made—just the lesser of two or more bad ones."

"The Blue Thunder would never wish that kind of decision on anyone."

"Neither would I but the fact that I may have to make such a decision myself," said Usagi. "I haven't forgotten that there are three conflicts to come that we didn't tell the general public about for fear of creating a panic."

"Defeating Beryl now has given us time," said Ranma. "Time to get the world use to the youma. Time to try and integrate them into the world community. In many respects this is a battle far grander than any that could have been in the Dark Kingdom and yet it is a battle I have no idea on how to fight."

"The Blue Thunder understands, this is not a battle of swords or fists but of ideas and beliefs. I too am at a lost on how to fight such a battle."

"I'm not at a lost," said Usagi as she continued to walk toward the school. "We fight this with understanding and hope for the good in both youma and humans while accepting that is a dark side as well."

Far behind the group were the figures of Purple Wiseman and Sa Fulang.

"So much we could have been, so much we still can be."

"My younger-self is going to be coming here to find out exactly what is going on," said Sa Fulang.

"Yes and Eclipse should be able to keep it from becoming the hormone macho egofest our first meeting was."

"My younger-self will see her as a Groundling and will not listen to her anymore than I listened to you 1,000 years ago. Roda on the other hand he may listen to."

"We will have to be very careful what we tell him."

"Yes, there are some aspects of our relationship that will anger him," said Sa Fulang.

"Speaking of anger, I hope you aren't here to do something else well meaning but in the end stupid, your high-mess," said Wiseman his left hand clenching into a fist.

"I am here to talk and not as Neo-Queen Serenity to Wiseman either, _Ranma_," responded Neo-Queen Serenity.

Wiseman turned and removing his hood. "Alright, _Usagi_, let talk."

"Your younger-self said I need to find the inner fire I once had, the one you remember; but I don't even know where to begin."

Wiseman changed into his female form. "Admitting that you need help was the first step, one I didn't take regarding my fiancée mess. Right now we need to return to the dojo so we can change clothes because in some respect our current outfits _are_ our roles."

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned. "I think I understand. I have to think to see you as Ranma."

About an hour later two women and a little girl were in an ice cream shop talking. "So Eclipse said I was not in any emotional state to remain in the Dark Kingdom and I replied 'what are you going to do about it.'"

"Let me guess, she decked you and got you to leave that way," said the red headed woman in fine Chinese silks.

"Only after punching me in the stomach. Thanks to your younger-self's training I have a mean fist even in human form," said the blond in an adult version of a school sailor uniform.

"Petz has one too. She is well on her way to being a Joketsuzoku Elder," smiled the red head. "She is going to be somewhat of a handful for Kě Lún to train."

"How so?"

"In terms of martial arts skill Petz is one perhaps two Dan ranks below Kě Lún so most of Petz's training will be in those Joketsuzoku traditions that did not survive the transition from Earth to Nemesis and not all are going to be compatible with our current world. Calaveras with her ability to communicate with the spirits of the dead will make an excellent Joketsuzoku Advisor. Berthier and Kōan both have the potential for being a good Joketsuzoku Guardian."

"I thought Joketsuzoku was the tribe Kě Lún belonged to."

"It is but it also survives on Nemesis as a clan. The Ayakashi Sisters are following an age old tradition of joining the Black Moon clan to become the Elder, Advisor, and Guardian of the Joketsuzoku clan."

"Ranma, Manra called Chronos Aeon the Guardian of the Grey Moon Clan."

"In this form call me Ranko," said the redhead. "The youma have a long tradition of breaking up the leading responsibilities of their clan into thirds: Clan Head leads, Advisor informs, and Guardian protects. Ideally I should be Advisor to only the Black Moon Clan but in terms of practicality I am Advisor to at least three other clans, defacto Clan Head to three more, and defacto Guardian to at least six others."

"Sounds like you traded your fiancée troubles for other ones."

Ranko giggled. "I guess you say that, Usagi."

"You two are starting to talk shop and really that is not why we are here," said the girl.

"Sa Fulang, Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity are a part of who we have been for the past millennium so it's not like we can keep them entirely out of the conversation," said Ranko.

"True, but there are other things you can small talk about," said Sa Fulang pulling out a little bag from her sleeve. "Like the homemade make up kits Ranko and I have. She is very good in given tips on using them."

Usagi blinked for moment and the giggled. "The great Saotome Ranma making his own female make up and giving tips on how to use it?"

"You would be surprised on how much make up is used on Nemesis," said Ranko pulling out a similar bag and going through it.

Outside the ice cream shop were four girls one with a visor down over her eyes. "Mercury, what is Wiseman doing?"

"Showing Neo-Queen Serenity some eye shadow, I think," responded Mercury.

"WHAT?!"

About an hour later. "I'd almost forgotten how much I loved to window shop," said Usagi who then frowned. "We still have our shadow?"

"Had them since we left the dojo," replied Ranko. "Perhaps they are afraid that I will pick you up as a fiancée."

Usagi laughed. "What do this they think this is? A date?"

"Well you do have to admit I had a knack for saying or doing the wrong thing that added to my problems rather than solving them."

"True, but I see Usagi's point of it being annoying to have unofficial chaperones following us around," said Sa Fulang.

"At least Pops and his friend Soun were not like _that_. Just ignore them and let's enjoy the day."

~*~* Furikhan High School *~*~

"I thought he was exaggerating the level that Nerimans would ignore the youma," said Haruka watching as students and youma calmly exited the school.

Ranma was wearing the robe of Black Wiseman which billowed as he hopped on the fence followed by Usagi in her Eclipse youma form. "This is one of the few good ideas Pops came up with-turn even simple things into practice," Ranma explained to the youma and humans in the group.

"In my class there was this human wearing candles on his head that he set his hair afire with that triggered the sprinklers in my science class," said one of the youma.

"Sounds like Gosunkugi Hikaru," said Akane. "He fancies himself as a fledgling voodoo priest and ever so often tries to cast spells with generally disastrous results. By himself he is relatively harmless."

"However what he represents is anything but harmless," said Ranma. "He likely sees youma as 'demons' to be banished or controlled and given some of the magic items Wiseman said are coming to this area I'm worried."

"SWEETO," yelled an elderly voice.

Ranma sighed and turned and watched as a three foot man carrying a bag as big as himself ran in front of a mob of enraged women.

"What is it?" asked a youma. "His ki is human but it is acting... well like ours."

"That is Happosai; he is a pervert who angers women so he can drain their ki. I suspect his long use of emotional yang ki to drain yin ki has caused him to fall into a variant of the trap I warned you all about."

"We're eventually going to have to address his antics," said Eclipse.

"We need more skilled people to handle him correctly," said Ranma scowling. "He is very reckless when angered and could easily injure any non martial artists nearby if confronted now."

"He is a minor issue," said Mistress 9 frowning. "Father hasn't given up on his mad dreaming of bringing Pharaoh 90 to this world. There is a diamon seed in this area seeking out an object to imbed itself in waiting until someone with a pure heart touches it."

"Great," said Ranma. "Is there any way to…"

"AGGGH, my voodoo doll has come alive and is after me," screamed a kid wearing candles on his head followed by what looked like a crude version of Akane made out of straw.

"Nevermind…" sighed Ranma. "Let see if we can shut this thing down as easily as the last one," said Ranma jumping off the fence and right in front of the diamon. "What are you supposed to be, Akane after a two month case of the ugly?"

"I am Voodoom and I will teach you to insult me," screamed the diamon as it attacked Ranma who effortlessly jumped over the creature.

"You are interfering with my gathering of a pure heart crystal, baka," yelled Voodoom a mallet appearing in her hands.

"I've seen faster snails," commented Ranma as he dodged the mallet and gave Voodoom an upper cut. "Thoth, this diamon body has no structural weakness to use the Bakusai Tenketsu technique on," yelled Ranma, "I need something else."

"How about VOODOOM NO BAKA!" screamed Akane flattening the diamon with a mallet composed out of ki.

"Cute but not effective," commented Ranma as the diamon reformed and back handed both Akane and Ranma.

"In fact I don't think we have any physical technique that is going to be effective," commented Ranma as he and Akane pulled themselves out of the wall they had smashed into.

"If this thing is somehow related to the Moon Kingdom, perhaps its powers can shut it down," said Eclipse.

"Logical assumption," said Sailor Moon. "Moon Healing Escalation!"

Everybody blinked as the spell hit the diamon and seemed to do absolutely nothing.

"Black Wiseman, I heard the sounds of battle…" said Kuno running out and coming to screeching stop. "What mockery of the fair Lady Akane is this?"

"Kuno, stay away from that thing," said Ranma. "It's one of Pharaoh 90's daimons; physical attacks don't seem to work on it and it just took one of Sailor Moon's more powerful magical attacks and didn't so much as blink."

"You have a pure heart crystal," grinned Voodoom pulling down the front of her shirt revealing a star shaped hole between her breasts that shot out a beam. Kuno then started screaming as the beam hit him.

Kuso," cursed Ranma. "Kuno, brace yourself. Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ranma yelled hitting the ground causing it to shatter beneath Voodoom and Kuno. Kuno took advantage of the situation by hitting the creature away as he continued toward Ranma.

"I couldn't move; I couldn't fight," commented Kuno looking back at the diamon. "How do we fight such a creature?"

"Perhaps that was the wrong attack," commented Sailor Moon. "Moon Tiara Action!"

Voodoom snorted as she caught the tiara. "I have no time to waste on heartless shells like you," Voodoom dismissively said as she threw the tiara back at Sailor Moon.

"That didn't seem to work very well either," said Sailor Moon looking down at the tiara now imbedded in her stomach. "Pink blood? I guess that means I am becoming less human," she commented pulling the tiara out.

"No one hurts part of my clan and get away with it. Time to power up and take that thing out!" roared Eclipse.

"Mars Planet Make Up!" "Jupiter Planet Make Up!" "Mercury Planet Make Up!"

"Fire Soul" "Supreme Thunder"

"We have a problem, those attacks didn't do anything to it and my mist attack will only make it harder for us to see it," scowled Ami.

"You will stop this at once," growled Mistress 9 her hair grabbing the diamon

Voodoom frowned. "Mistress 9? I don't understand. Why do you oppose me?"

"Because I no longer serve Pharaoh 90 and I will not allow him to come to this world and harm it."

Voodoom struggled and pulled down the front of her shirt. A beam shot out of the star shape hole and hit Mistress 9.

**KABLAM**

"What just happened?" asked Mistress 9 groggily as Ranma dashed in, grabbed her, and retreated back to the group as the diamon slowly stumbled to it feet.

"Should have known," grumbled Ranma. "Blasted thing uses a form of Death ki to extract pure heart crystals."

"And Mistress 9 generates Death ki," said Eclipse. "Must have caused one heck of a feedback."

"What we have right now isn't enough to shut this thing down," said the voice of Chronos Aeon. "That is why I brought Tuxedo Mask," she said moving from behind to the front of the group. "His power combined with Eclipse's will form a weapon able to handle this. Now if you excuse me I'm going to try and keep this thing busy." Chronos Aeon then ran straight at the diamon. "Hey diamon, I have two words for you: Death Scream!"

**KABLAM**

Tuxedo Mask reached over and grasped Eclipse's hand. "Chronos Aeon said our love during the Moon Kingdom was the key."

"Our love?" asked Eclipse as a glow manifested around their clasped hands. They then let go and a rod appeared between the two of them.

"What is that?" asked Ranma.

"It is the product of our combined power: the Spiral Heart Moon Rod."

"I will take _your_ pure heart crystal!" yelled Voodoom at Chronos Aeon pulling her shirt down again.

Chronos Aeon grinned as the beam tried to shoot out but flickered and died. "I thought so. You and all of Pharaoh 90's daimons were designed to take _human_ pure heart crystals but that means none of you can take a _youma_'s pure heart crystal."

Chronos Aeon's grin then became feral. "You know what is really pathetic? My pure heart crystal contains one of the three talismans you bunch of clanless rejects have been running around Tokyo looking for."

Chronos Aeon then back handed the diamon with the Time Staff. "Part of your precious prize is right in front of you and _none of you can get it_," laughed Chronos Aeon as she continued to smack the daimon around.

"We better hurry and use that thing before Voodoom decides that trying to get Chronos Aeon's pure heart crystal isn't worth it," commented Ranma gesturing to the Spiral Heart Moon Rod.

Eclipse grabbed the rod scowling. "I am really going to hate this." She then started spinning like a top. "Moon spiral heart attack!"

Chronos Aeon back flipped out of the way of the giant pink heart that slammed into Voodoom.

"LOVELY," yelled Voodoom before she turned back into a voodoo doll.

"I see what you mean about hating that," commented Ranma. "It's effective but it looks so stupid."

"I think… I have miscalculated," commented Sailor Moon as she collapsed.

"Sailor Moon!" yelled Eclipse running to the girl.

"Thoth, did the diamon hit a major organ?" asked Ranma as he knelt beside Sailor Moon.

"No because there were no organs for her to hit," scowled Ami as she scanned the Mercury computer's readings. "Strictly speaking she is more like one of your ki constructs than an actual person. For instance, that pinkish liquid is a form of ki energy."

"Kuso," fumed Ami reading the latest information from the Mercury Computer. "That blow has accelerated the degeneration of her skin. Right now that is the only thing holding her together."

"How do we stop it?" asked Ranma concerned.

Ami looked Ranma in the eyes. "We don't. All the blow did was accelerate what was naturally happening."

Ranma looked down. Sailor Moon's skin was now cracked as if it was an old painting.

"It is not logical for you to be concerned about me, Eclipse," said Sailor Moon. "I was only your powers given a human mind. I was never really alive," she finished as her skin shattered revealing what looked like a human shaped blob of pinkish goo. The pinkish goo shimmered for a moment and then flowed on to Eclipse who then screamed in pain as it disappeared into her skin.

"Eclipse?" asked Ranma unsure of anything else to say.

"I remember," she sobbed. "I remember _everything_."

"Huh?"

Eclipse stood up and raised her compact. "Moon Prism Make up."

Akane rubbed her temples with the fingers of one hand. "You do know that you gave a free peep show to every male who thinks below the beltline with that little stunt, right?"

"That wasn't a youma transformation," said Ami.

"Sailor Moon's memories are so cold and empty," said Eclipse shivering. "It's like reading a dry text on some major event. Even the memories before our separation seem empty."

Chronos Aeon walked up her face grim. "Sailor Moon would have died long before Pharaoh 90's portal was opened."

Rei looked up scowling at Chronos Aeon. "You knew this was going to happen?"

"I knew it was _possible_ not that it was certain…_for today_," responded Chronos Aeon coldly.

"With no emotion she effectively had no flight or fight response," said Ami frowning.

Chronos Aeon scowled gripping her staff so hard her knuckles turned color as she nodded her head. "What happened here was inevitable. If not this battle then in some future battle. Knowing that doesn't help."

Roda put her clawed hand on Chronos Aeon's shoulder. "I understand. It always hurts when clan member dies no matter what the reason but more when there is nothing to show for it. Here there is at least something."

~*~*RS*~*~

After getting back to the dojo and informing everyone of the fate of Sailor Moon, Eclipse, Ranma, and Mistress 9 went for a little walk.

"I don't know what to feel," complained Eclipse. "Sailor Moon remerged with me so it not like she actually died but at the same time she was a different person from me. I'm angry, scared, and, what worries me, also relieved."

"Relieved because you were not sure how you would be affected if Sailor Moon died or was killed. Sadly I must admit to the same jumble of emotions myself."

"If there is one truly good thing to come out of this mess is that my father will be less prone to attacking the general public with his diamons," said Mistress 9. "The big downside is that effectively paints a nice big bullseye on the Tendo dojo."

"That bullseye was already there," commented Ranma. "I suspect that you are still critical to forming the doorway to bring Pharaoh 90 to this dimension and your father is crystal hunting now so he can devote more time later into getting you back under his control."

Mistress 9 nodded frowning. "I don't know how far gone father is. If he has totally gone off the deep end there is no telling what methods he will use to force us to cooperate."

"Also I would not count Beryl totally out of the picture," said Eclipse. "She doesn't strike me as the type of person who just gives up."

"I agree," said Ranma. "But her resources will be far more limited as she can't bully or bribe the clans into doing her bidding. That means she must find clans willing to help her and that is going to be a tall order."

"I must say your little show and tell shook the youma," said Mistress 9. "In a way you made the Sailor Senshi seem redundant."

"That was the whole point," said Ranma. "Various clans will use the portal to learn more about Earth and get a more balanced picture than what Beryl was giving them."

"Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity seemed more at ease when the came back to the dojo even with the Sailor Senshi spying on them," said Eclipse.

"That was because they weren't Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity but rather Saotome Ranko and Tsukino Usagi and I worry what originally happened to them could happen to us."

"Perhaps was should follow their example and try to enjoy ourselves for a bit," commented Eclipse. "Think we will pick up our own shadow?"

"Akane got a glimpse of my life so she is not going to be so prone to jump to the wrong conclusion. Ukyo is a good friend and I don't want to see her hurt; I'll ask mom if we can adopt her into the Saotome clan and address the mess Pops made of her honor that way. Shampoo on the other hand is going to be a problem which is why we are here at the Neko Hanten," Ranma said opening the door to the restaurant.

The bustling and conversations of the early dinner hour continued unabated as the group found themselves a table. "I assume you are here on business," said Cologne as she hopped over on her cane.

"Actually a mixture of business and personal," said Ranma removing his hood. "I need to know just what is involved with Shampoo's honor so I don't do anything stupid."

Cologne nodded. "As you may have figured out her giving you both the kiss of death and kiss of marriage made things complicated to begin with. Becoming Advisor to a clan composed of both humans and youma has upped the stakes. I think I have managed to convince the majority of Elders that the actions of the youma of past generations were due to poor and undesired leadership."

"On that note yesterday the Grey Moon clan formally removed what little power Beryl still had over the Dark Kingdom and our only causality was Sa Fulang using up so much life ki that he went through his lifecycle early," said Ranma. "It wasn't enough to eliminate their need of Beryl as food but her ability to _force_ the youma to do her bidding is gone though she doesn't strike me as the kind of person who is going to just sit there." Ranma frowned. "On a more somber note today Sailor Moon was a causality of the latest of Pharaoh 90's diamon though her power returned to Eclipse."

Cologne sighed rubbing her head. "The first is welcome news though the second is troubling. I was under the impression that Mistress 9 was needed to open the door to Pharaoh 90's world."

"We are but we believe my father is trying to get the three Moon Kingdom artifacts that can be used against Pharaoh 90 now so he can devote more time to getting us back under his control."

"Chronos Aeon revealed that _her_ pure heart crystal is one of the ones they are looking for making it more likely this ward is going to have diamon problems and soon," said Eclipse.

"Pure heart crystals are a mass of life ki with some emotional components that reflects the purity of a person's desires," explained Mistress 9. "However by purity I mean how focused on something a person is not how good or evil the desire is."

"So a person dedicated to an evil desire could have as much a pure heart crystal as one with a noble desire," said Cologne.

"Exactly," replied Mistress 9. "For example, Mu Si's views regarding Sham Pu gives him a pure heart crystal. The same is true regarding Sham Pu's desire to make Ranma her husband. However having multiple intense desires makes a heart crystal less pure. For example, Ranma's desire regarding martial arts and honor made his crystal less pure by Pharaoh 90's standards and less likely to be a target. His incorporating Sun Tzu further divides the focus making his heart crystal even less of a target."

Cologne nodded in understanding. "Back to the immediate matter at hand, as you may have deduced the Kisses of Death and Marriage do have safeguards built into them."

"Before reading Sun Tzu I didn't see that but now I do," said Ranma. "Without any safeguards your people could find themselves in a needless war or at the mercy of ambitious people who could use the kisses as part of a power grab."

"Correct. Your increase in status makes you more desirable as a future husband but also a greater potential danger. I am going to have to take a more active hand in matters to prevent Sham Pu from engaging in the kind of reckless adventures Purple Wiseman related to me." Cologne leaned back. "Your new status will actually will make it easier for Sham Pu to get through this with her honor intact when her efforts fall through."

"When not if?" asked Ranma frowning.

Cologne gave a sad smile. "Purple Wiseman is not the only one who can read latent emotional ki, Ranma. His latent ki aura is golden with orange tones when he looks at Akane or me." Cologne gave a deep sigh. "That is not the color it takes when he looks at Sham Pu."

"My skill is nowhere that good so you'll have to tell me what color you are seeing," said Ranma frowning.

Cologne visibly winced. "Red with orange tones."

"We saw that in the visible spectrum when Wiseman addressed Beryl," said Eclipse her voice filled with worry. "It's not anger mixed with depression is it?"

"If the tone of voice he used is any guide, no it isn't," said Ranma who then sighed. "The best way I can describe his tone would be disgust bordering on hate."

"Sadly, you are right," said Cologne.

"I don't know what happened that Purple Wiseman feels that way but I'm not him," said Ranma. "As he likes to point out we are different Wisemen. So I don't understand why you think that my future relationship with Sham Pu is going to wind up like his."

"Because I know my great granddaughter and I also know what _your_ feelings toward Akane are as well what your techniques have done, _Ranma_," said Cologne sadly. "You and Akane now know each other an a level more intimate than a couple who have been married half a century. Sham Pu sees herself as the only wife in your life and I am afraid of the lengths she must have used in Purple Wiseman's history which she could and I am afraid will use in our future."

"If there is one thing I have learned from all this is the future can be changed," said Eclipse. "I refuse to believe that any part of the future is set in any kind of stone. I will not give up on Shampoo."

"Neither will I," said Ranma. "I still see Shampoo as a friend and I think that between the three of us we can keep her from doing something so royally stupid that I wind up hating her."

**~*~*Author comment*~*~**

Sorry about that guys. I just found out fanfiction was FUBARing my scene breaks. I hopefully should have the story fixed soon.


	14. Chap 14 Fear and Friendship

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 14 – Fear and Friendship

The Grey Moon clan was startled when a 12 year old girl greeted them at dinner. Ranma narrowed his eyes and then frowned. "Looks like we owe you an apology," said Ranma sheepishly.

"Black Wiseman, who is she?" asked Roda.

"She is Mistress 9's host," said Ranma still frowning.

"_My_ name is Tomoe Hotaru," said the girl giving a sad smile.

"Oh boy, we really flubbed this," said Usagi frowning.

"Yes Usagi, we did mess this up," said Ranma.

"It's not your fault, Ranma," said Hotaru in a deeper voice. "If anything it is mine. I was so eager to make sure my host was strong that I was in a sense making her grow up too fast and effectively taking her childhood from her." Hotaru then frowned. "By keeping her in an adult form I encouraged you to use my name when talking to us rather than hers. A friend shouldn't let that happen."

"Of all the people here I have some idea what you must have been going through and for not seeing the problem before this I feel like a first class baka," said Ranma.

Hotaru smiled sadly. "It's alright. The problem didn't really occur to either of us until we reflected on why you were so good in Martial Arts but at times seemed to be totally inept in social endeavors."

Ranma chuckled. "Just the other day Usagi and I were talking about becoming our roles like Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity did."

"Her Sailor Senshi were spying on them as if hey little outing was a date or something," commented Rei.

"Rei, given the way Ranma here seemed to pick up fiancées like Pokemon, I think that was exactly why they were spying on them," said Usagi.

Ranma frowned again. "What's a Pokemon?"

Usagi groaned and face palmed. "Thanks to your father you're even worst than the youma are when it comes to Japanese cultural references."

Ranma shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? Anything Pops thought was a distraction tended to get chucked into the garbage bin. In a way I'm lucky I know _anything_ outside martial arts." Ranma then rubbed the bottom of his lip. "But Usagi did make a good point. The youma are going to need more than I can provide to function in this world."

Usagi smiled. "Now that is something I can help with."

~*~*Neko Hanten*~*~

"Why Arien bring Youma Queen here again? And who young girl?" asked an annoyed Shampoo.

Mousse frowned and readjusted his glasses. "The Ranma I know would never be that at ease in his female form. Those people are not who you think they are, Shampoo."

"For once Mr. Part-time is actually seeing more that you are, granddaughter," said Cologne frowning. "From the ki levels I say that is Purple Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity. The girl…I would sware that is Sa Fulang's aura"

"Old…I mean Elder, may I asked them something?" asked Mousse

"You want to know what you became in their world," said Cologne. "Since that world will not be ours I see no harm in you asking. But they may not tell you much."

Mousse nodded and walked toward the table. "…that is when I came up with the idea of using minerals for make up," chatted Wiseman. Wiseman then looked up and Mousse noted the fresh lipstick, eye shadow, blushes and all the other things you expected to see on a woman. "Mu Si, my old friend you look unusually nervous. If my co-wife permits, please join us."

"Elder Cologne gave me permission," Mousse paused, "to ask you something, Wiseman."

"We decided to leave Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity at home. Please, call me Ranko," grinned Wiseman. "Now what troubles you?"

"The Elder thinks I am here to ask about what happened to me in your world but she doesn't realize that I hear better than I see. I overheard her relating what your aura does when you see Shampoo and I must know…"

"Why I _hate_ Shampoo?" asked Ranko her eyes flashing red orange for a moment. "Even someone as easy going as I was has their limits, my friend. Shampoo simply managed to go past them." Ranko then smiled. "You finally saw her as I did and found a good woman on Nemesis. You lived a long and happy life and had many strong sons and daughters." Ranko then grasped Mousse's hand. "For your sake, my friend, don't continue to chase Shampoo. She is incapable of loving you the way you deserve to be loved." Ranko reached up and touched Mousse's glasses. "A gift to an old friend to help him see clearly and save him years on a Quiotixe quest."

"Thank you for your time, Ranko," said Mousse standing up. He noticed as he went back to the kitchen that the people in the café seemed to have auras about them. Narrowing his eyes he was startled as the auras became clearer.

"Did you learn what you wanted, Mousse?" asked Cologne frowning.

"Yes, I did, Elder," said Mousse noting that Cologne's aura was red with a bluish tinge.

"Mu Si," said Cologne, "for future reference, I may be old but I am not blind or stupid."

Mousse nodded understanding just what the Elder was really saying. "I can dimly see auras. If I narrow my eyes the auras are much clearer."

Cologne nodded Mousse noting her aura becoming bluer. "I suspected as much when Wiseman touched your glasses. She may not want to admit it but she is the Supreme Elder of her time."

"Grandmother, you not serious," said Shampoo.

"I am _very_ serious," said Cologne.

"Your aura became redder then," said Mousse. "Not that I would need Ranko's gift to see that you were angry right then."

Cologne looked at Mousse. "Ranko?"

"She said that they left Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity at home and to call her Ranko."

"Why Grandmother and silly Mousse call future of Airen _she_ and use female name?"

Mousse frowned narrowing his eyes as he looked at Shampoo. "Red with orange tinges. I see now what Ranko meant about a Quiotixe quest and I also see just how blind I have really been." Mousse then sighed as he looked at the table where the three time travelers sat and cocked his head to one side.

"You see the damage she has done to herself as Neo-Queen Serenity," said Cologne.

"A medium golden aura that briefly changes to other colors but then snaps back."

"Why no one answer Shampoo's question?"

"Because it has such an obvious answer," snapped Cologne. "In Ranko form Ranma's future self _is_ female."

"When I came up to the table Ranko was talking about female make up which has been applied with great skill on her face," said Mousse. "Would the Ranma we know unless forced wear make up? More over wouldn't he be uncomfortable doing that?"

"Mr… _Mu Si_ is showing much better insight to the situation than you, Sham Pu. I am disappointed that you do not see beneath the surface." Cologne shifted on her staff. "Enough talk, we have customers to serve."

~*~*Next day on the way to school in Nerima*~*~

"Usagi, based on what has happened the last two days I think we need a break from the martial art training and something social for the clan to do," said Ranma in his normal silks.

"I agree and I think I might have an idea," said Usagi in her normal human form. "Have some of the social activities normally part of a sleepover: movies, a few party games, things like that."

"That actually isn't that bad of an idea," said Akane. "It will allow everyone one to unwind by breaking away from the train in the technique of the day or week routine they seem to setting into. What do you think, Zirconite?"

"It's a wonderful idea as you're right: we are way too focused on future battles and not on the peace that is after them. I do think that you will have some problems. Most humor is cultural based so I don't think many comedies will work well."

"I agree as I have no idea on how _Merchant of Venice_ is considered a comedy," said Ranma. "To me it seemed to be a contest between Shylock and Portia as to who could be the bigger manipulative jerk. Never mind that whole last act was stupid and boring. Drama and tragedy might work better though something like _Macbeth_ hits a little too close to home."

"How so?" asked Ami.

"Think about it. An honorable fighter is told a prophecy that combined with external forces turns him into a power crazed maniac."

Rei winced. Stated that way _Macbeth_ did hit way close to home.

"I've heard about other types of I believe the term is genre: mystery, horror, sword and sorcery just to mention a few," commented Zirconite.

"Most of those would have the same problems but you know horror might give a good insight into humanity as a whole as it seems to cross culture divisions easier," said Ranma.

"There is a film that has gotten rave reviews in the US, Asia, and here in Japan at being a very scary movie," said Ami in thought.

"Sounds great. What's it called?" asked Ranma.

"Hellraiser II."

Several minutes later in Ranma's tannin class, Ninomiya Hinako blinked after putting her supply of books down as sitting in the desk where the normally adult form of Mistress 9 sat was a 12 year old girl. "Tomoe Hotaru?"

"Yes Sensei?" replied the girl.

Hinako frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Oh yes we're fine. Mistress 9 was concerned that in helping me she was making me grow up too fast and decided to let me quite literally be myself."

Hinako's lower lip trembled. "Can you teach me?" she asked a mixture of hope and tears in her eyes.

Hotaru now frowned. "If you mean regarding controlling your own age transformation, the only way I think we could help is teaching you how to generate ki and in that _we_ are still learning. We're not sure if we yet know enough to teach."

Hinako nodded sadly. "Still if you can give me some help it would be welcome."

"Tomorrow then. We have something planned for tonight."

Later that night in the Tendo, about half an hour into _Hellraiser II_ most of the audience human and youma alike were holding on to each other scared nearly out of their wits with the noted exception of a certain pigtailed martial artist. Roda leaned forward with Chronos Aeon saying "It's only a movie" over and over again while holding on to her for deal life to find out how Ranma could be so calm.

"You have to admit those American movie makers know their special effects," commented Ranma totally enjoying the film.

"Ranma, even with your view of the world helping this movie is scary," said Akane grabbing Ranma's arm.

"I think we should have previewed this," said Usagi nervously holding onto Ranma's other arm.

"Come on you two, it's just a movie," commented Ranma.

"And _Macbeth_ is just a play," responded Usagi, "If that hit too close to home _this_ is a freaking bullseye. Evil forces from another dimension brought to this world by an obsessive doctor; just who does _that_ remind you of?"

"Ok that part is a little troubling but the theme here is an old one," responded Ranma his tone showing that he was now worried.

Roda nodded understanding why Ranma had initially been so calm—he hadn't realized just how similar to the situation with Pharaoh 90 this… this nightmare was.

Elsewhere in the audience Hotaru and Mistress 9 were both trying deal with the terrorizing imagery on the TV.

'Dear Silence this… this makes what Ranma showed in the Dark Kingdom look like a pleasant dream by comparison,' whimpered Mistress 9 mentally.

'I don't understand,' Hotaru whimpered back. 'We saw the real terror of Hiroshima so why are we so terrified of this imagined horror?'

'Because it is so close to home,' replied Mistress 9 mentally shivering. 'That doctor could just as easily be your father and those nightmares the diamons he uses. Instead of pure hearts these creatures collect souls for whatever master _they_ serve.'

Near the end of the film much of the audience was in such a state that the dojo was bathed in a dim yellow ki aura giving it an unearthly look to it. In the movie the main character, Kirsty, was confronting the humanoid with the pincushion head again and handed him a photo of the man they had all seen at the beginning of the film.

"What is this? Someone else you think escaped us?" asked Pincushion Head.

"No, No, this one didn't escape. IT'S YOU!" responded Kirsty.

'Those things are not like father's diamons at all…they're like us!' thought Hotaru her fear turning to anger.

'Puppets deprived of knowledge of who they really were… like I was!' Mistress 9 mentally hissed as the pale yellow aura around the girl turned red.

Then the now transformed doctor showed up and the anger transformed back to fear. Finally as the film ended with a nightmarish pillar with a talking face the fear the movie had been generating in human and youma alike faded.

Back up in front Ranma frowned at the credits ran. He hadn't expected the film to be this intense and certainly not to hit this close to what they were fighting; heck even Ami likely hadn't expected that. Pharaoh 90 and the Silence he brought had been vague ill defined things with only personal experience or history as a guide. If there was one good thing to come of this fiasco was now human and youma had a common fear a common vision of Pharaoh 90 and his goal regardless of how accurate it was.

"Ranma," said Ami nervously clearly shaken by the film. "I did get another horror film in case this one turned out to be too intense. It's so bad that it is considered a cult classic."

"It's worth a shot at dealing with the near panic that last one generated. What is _this_ film called?"

"Plan 9 from Outer Space."

Half an hour later human and youma alike were giggling at, poking fun at, or mocking the film.

Ranma was shaking his head and snickering. "Now I can truthfully say I have heard things worse than one of the old Sailor Senshi's speeches."

"Chronos, how could anyone have thought this would be scary?" asked Roda.

"I have no idea. Perhaps they were drunk."

Hotaru and Mistress 9 were mentally commenting on the film to each other giggling at the insipid dialog, ridiculous plot, and anything else that caught their eye.

At the end the group was in much better spirits and Ranma asked as to what kind of games Ami had in mind.

"Truth or dare is popular. You ask a embarrassing question and you either accept or refuse and take the dare but it tends to be embarrassing."

"Sounds interesting."

Later after the group settled into a large circle the game began. "Zirconite, what is the most awkward thing about being human you had to deal with?" asked Ranma.

"Truth. Not being able to change form or color and learning how to use make up. My first attempt was to quote Eclipse hideous."

Ranma nodded as the game continued on with Zirconite asking Roda about what it felt with two wings coming out of her back.

The questions came full circle with the dares being not being more than a slight energy drain or kiss the person next to you. "Ranma, how female do you feel when you are in your other form?" asked Zoisite.

Ranma smiled. "Truth. Thanks to Akane and Usagi helping Hotaru and Mistress 9 learn ki my knowledge of females is better than what Pops taught me but I don't know if female is the right term to use. I do feel different when I am in my female form and I don't just mean the change in balance or speed. It is like trying to describe the taste of something without a real reference."

Zoisite nodded in understanding. The youma ability to change form was way different from the magic of Jusenkyo but more youma found themselves at a loss to explain the difference as their fellows had no real reference.

~*~*Next morning*~*~

The next morning Ranma came down in his Ranko form.

"Decided to try and get more use to your female form?" asked Akane as they started into breakfast.

"Yep," commented Ranma as his mother back handed his father into a wall.

"Stealing your son's food off his plate is not training!" she roared at the still human Genma.

"Mom, you hit him so hard I doubt he knows who he is right now."

Nodoka turned her scowl turning into a frown. "I have your memories but I don't understand this."

Ranma sighed as he stopped eating. "You have my memories _before_ I acquired those of Usagi, Akane, and Hotaru and the vague memories of my previous life as the original Sailor Pluto became clearer." Ranma took a thoughtful stance, "I think that when I now go into the Neko-ken now I literally become the original Sailor Pluto. To better understand that part of my life as well as dealing with the memories I now have I need to start addressing my female side. It also might help me be a little less creeped out by Wiseman."

"You're creeped out by your own possible future?"

"Mom, I was still trying to deal with the fact he admitted to carrying a child in his female form and Esmeraude called him grand_mother_ when this whole thing with his Sa Fulang happened and we got a look at another part of _their _relationship." Ranma shuddered.

"Killer, friend, mother and father, and finally mate," said Usagi who then shook her head. "That _is_ a little creepy when you think about it."

"Especially when as Ranko she is doing the mother bit right now waiting until Sa Fulang is old enough so they can go back to being mates."

"Ewww," said Hotaru turning a little green.

"Exactly my reaction even though at one level I understand why," said Ranma. "They are both so long lived that they may be effectively immortal; everyone else they know will grow old and die. They have grown together because they are the only relative constant in each other lives. Now I think about that might be why Neo-Queen Serenity's Sailor Senshi were trying to play invisible chaperone."

Usagi giggled, "I don't think that aspect even occurred to them. In some respects they still see Wiseman as the cocky reckless female magnet young man of 1,000 years ago."

Ranma frowned. "I would have thought that him dumping enough anger ki to light up the ward for the next week into her would have knocked that idea in the head but then again we _are_ talking about Neo-Queen Serenity's Sailor Senshi."

"Could be worse. They could be trying to play cupid," commented Usagi.

Ranma paused and shook his head. "You're right. That is worse."

"If they are as inept at being cupid as they were playing invisible chaperone that _would_ be a disaster," commented Akane. "Though, I also have misgivings about this idea but for different reasons."

"The girls might, no _will_ think I am using this as a way to peek," sighed Ranma. "Other than you and I explaining this there is not much that can be done on that front."

"I could help," said Nabiki earning her glares from several people at the table.

"Unlike my future self I don't carry around enough gem stones to buy most countries," said Ranma.

"Besides how long before your greed kicks and you _create_ problems rather than solve them?" asked Akane. "You seem to forgotten that Ranma and I shared our memories."

Nabiki winced. "Ok, I guess I deserve that but as Ranma said it is in my best interest to remain useful to the clan."

"Useful by no means implies trusted," said Zirconite her voice cold.

"Given you were selling pictures of your own sister to a potential stalker there is no reason not to suspect that you would stoop to selling pictures that show if Queen Eclipse is a real blond if you thought it would rake in some yen and you felt you wouldn't get caught," commented Hotaru.

Nabiki stopped eating and stared at Hotaru in shock.

Hotaru chuckled. "We got those memories of Ranma as well as the ones covering the training trip."

"Would she go that far?" asked Usagi scowling.

"If she thought she could get away with it and it made enough yen? In a heartbeat," said Akane.

"I think she realizes that she wouldn't get away with it," smiled Zirconite in a manner that reminded Nabiki of a shark.

"Besides it is in her best interest to make sure the world is still around for her to enjoy her money," commented Hotaru in a chillingly sweet voice.

Nabiki shivered at the reminder that while Beryl might have been reduced to a gadfly Pharaoh 90 was still out there.

"Any ideas on how to deal with Pharaoh 90?" Nabiki asked hoping to deflect the conversation from her favorite pasttime.

Hotaru nodded. "Several initial ideas but they will need refinement. Death Born Revolution is an obvious solution but we need to know what the risks at using the thing are. Another option is to tap into the death ki of the Ginzuishou and-or Jakokusuishou and shoving that down Pharaoh 90's throat, A third option is intercept the doorway and shuttling Pharaoh 90 to an already dead Earth. Then there is always the option of finding a way to get at the Talismans and using them without killing their hosts." Hotaru then leaned forward her voice dropping in tone showing that it was Mistress 9 speaking. "These are still works in progress though. The wrong piece of information sold to the wrong person…," Mistress 9 simply let the sentence hang the implication clear.

"I understand," Nabiki said nervously.

"Make sure you do," said Hotaru in her normal voice. "Also Ranma, you don't just have Akane to help you in learning about your female side, you have the rest of your clan as well."

Ranma chuckled, "You're right. I guess _some_ of Pop's old habits are going to be harder to break that I realized."

~*~*Furinkan High School*~*~

Ninomiya Hinako frowned slightly at seeing Ranma in his female form. "Are you alright, Saotome?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes I'm fine. I'm just trying to come to grips with my female form as well as all the female memories in my head."

Akane face palmed groaning quietly causing Ranma to look at her with a puzzled expression on her face. "Explained it poorly?"

"Very," commented Akane shaking her head.

"Female memories?" asked Hinako clearly puzzled.

"Simply put one of the techniques I use to speed teach ki manipulation results in my picking up my student's memories as well as them mine. I also have vague memories of my previous life as the original Sailor Pluto to contend with. In keeping with that in this form I will use the given name Ranko. It'll help keep the now three roles I have separate."

Several hours later Ranko calmly walked into the girl's locker room. She frowned at the stares she was getting from some of the girls. Shaking her head and rolling her eyes Ranko proceeded to change into her gym outfit.

"I don't think this was one of Ranko's better ideas," said Usagi frowning at both the glares and the ease at which her mind was able to automatic separate Ranma, Ranko, and Black Wiseman even though she knew they were all the same person.

"I have a way to end that," growled Hotaru walking toward Ranko a slight red-black aura around her.

"Hotaru?" asked Ranko.

"ENOUGH!" yelled the girl in a voice that sounded like hers and Mistress 9's together.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you people? Are you going to ostracize Ranko because she turns into male part of the time just the way the people of my school ostracized me because I was sick all the time and could heal people? The youma refugees of the Dark Kingdom who are beginning to think of humans as more than either milk cows or potential breaking stock treat us with more respect that I saw with my old classmates or I am seeing with you right now!" finished Hotaru clearly upset.

Hotaru then changed into Mistress 9 her voice dropping to the lower tones the entity normally used. "You know what most of my time from entering my host at the age of five to now was spend doing? Keeping my host from killing herself because of narrow minded baka like you! Didn't Hiroshima and Nagasaki teach you anything?" she finished in the same dual tone she had started with.

Ranko winced at the mixed rage and death ki aura radiating from his friend. A quick glance showed that the girls who weren't terrified out of their wits were looking away or at the floor ashamed.

"Hotaru, Mistress 9, calm down," said Ranko in what she hoped was a comforting voice. "Remember this school had a bunch of hormonal male idiots challenging Akane on a daily basis for the right to date her by virtue of defeating her for months. This is a _very_ different situation from what you two went through."

"No matter what, we are your friends," said Usagi. "But could you tone down the aura so I can hug you without wanting to throw up?" she asked in half humorous tone.

"Oh," said the still adult Hotaru in a sheepish voice as the aura winked out. "I guess we did kind of over do that." Hotaru then hugged Usagi breaking down into a sobbing fit. "We really screwed up didn't we? But it was so much like what we went through for seven years. As bad as their training was, Ranma and Ranko had their father. We had _nothing_ as my father was and is so obsessed with Pharaoh 90 that he doesn't even care if _I_ live or die."

"Easy Hotaru, we're here," said Ranko also hugging the girl turned woman.

Usagi then generated a low level aura that was soft gold color that enveloped the three females and then radiated into the room.

"We like this but isn't emotional ki dangerous even if it is a positive emotion?" asked Hotaru in a dreamy like voice.

"When used constantly like I did yes," said Ranko. "Used sparingly it does have its benefits."

"Besides this is simply who I am," said Usagi toning down the aura until it vanished. "The only real difference between what I was and what I am now is my idealism has been tempered with realism. Utopias exist only in dreams but that doesn't mean we can't work toward a better world."

Some of the girls nodded at this sage advice as others were slowly pulling themselves out of the terrified ball they had rolled into. Most of the girls vowed to try to understand the real reason why Ranma had become Ranko as well as not being like the people who had make Hotaru's life hell.

~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~

'They are going to make my life hell,' thought Beryl for the umpteenth time. Metaria mentally sighed asserting control so she could look at the stargate. Its very creation had shaved months off taking down the barrier not that it really mattered anymore. The ten youma a day was more than she could do and the youma discovered a fact that neither Wiseman had realized: latent human ki was pouring through the stargate even when youma weren't going through it.

Even if she had been still been inclined to Metaria couldn't cut of the youma's ability to feed off this new ki source. It was a most ironic twist of fate that in creating this stargate in a desperate gambit to prevent Neo-Queen Serenity from killing her host, the two Wisemen had made Beryl and Metaria totally redundant. Even worst by deferring punishment to other clans because they had older grievances Eclipse had ensured that Beryl wouldn't be killed as the clans would make sure Eclipse got her chance as well.

Now Metaria had the added joy of finding out that Beryl did have an imagination at least when it came to what the youma would do to her when they were done forming their little government and establishing relations with the nations of the world. Metaria was almost tempted to assert control and demand the youma do something if only to shut up her host's speculation of what they were going to do. The only problem would be Metaria would feel what ever Beryl felt physically and she wasn't sure if Beryl's mind totally snapped into a catatonia that she would be able to control the body. So Metaria sat there with Beryl coming up with images that would have made the Marquis de Sade's jaw drop in astonishment hoping that she could find some youma willing to find her a new host. Not that she had much hope in that as the youma were working toward learning as much about this Earth as was possible rather than helping her or her host.

~*~*Two weeks later, Groom Lake, Nevada*~*~

General Wilson frowned at reading the latest report sent by Ambassador Morgan in Japan. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington had understandably taken Black Wiseman's report that Queen Beryl had been reduced to a figurehead and the Dark Kingdom was trying to rebuild itself along the lines of the United States with the preverbal mountain of salt; as a general rule wars don't end that simply or easily. However, if the actions of the youma over the last two weeks were any indication it was true. The youma that were appearing in Tokyo now were trying to learn everything they could about the Second World War in general and the United States in particular.

The youma's reaction to what they were finding was providing the anthropologists with more than enough to for a cultural profile that would allow ambassadors like Morgan and later world leaders to have a better chance of establishing meaningful negotiations. Wilson like Adams was a realist; the sampling of technology the Grey Moon Clan had provided totally changed the balance of power and who ever was their ally would effectively be riding shotgun.

Wilson noted that Adams had correctly judged youma mentality in that they highly valued achievement via personal merit and sacrifice.

Their esteem regarding FDR for pulling the United States out of the Great Depression and through most of WWII only increased when they found out he had been a victim of polio. Churchill's early setbacks similarly raised his esteem in their eyes as well as the urban legend of about him having to choose between saving a city or keeping a secret vital to winning to war. Past that point though is where things got strange; the youma despised Stalin and Hitler not only for slaughtering millions of their own people but for the manipulative ways they got their power. Their regard for the Japanese royal family of that time was even worse with the phrase "boosted pieces of food" often coming up which from the context seemed to be the closest thing the youma had to a racial slur.

The moon base the Grey Moon Clan was setting up indicated that as advanced as the Moon Kingdom technology was it could be understood and reverse engineered with relative ease fugitively speaking. According to Black Wiseman something he called the Crystal Gates had been used to send a crystal to the moon to literally grow the base. The Joint Chiefs back in Washington had already connected the dots and realized that anything that could put a base on the moon and grow it to the size of a small city in weeks without any obvious means of supply could just as easily put a base or worse an army in the heart a country.

The information that his original Crystal Gates had not been up to handling the forces needed to maintain the Einstein-Rosen Bridge like doorway and had been replaced by a more durable Stargate set up had reinforced concerns regarding just what the Grey Moon Clan was doing especially when Black Wiseman had offhandedly written that the permanent Jusenkyo doorway was stabilized and asked if the United States military needed samples of the permanent water. As much as the Moon Kingdom technology bothered them it was nothing to the concern bordering on outright paranoia that Jusenkyo had produced.

China had been unknowingly sitting on a resource that could have literally made them masters of the world for over 4,000 years and the Chinese government either didn't know about it or didn't believe it. The tests with the packets Black Wiseman had given Adams had confirmed that even the temporary version was very effective as a military weapon. Used as a fine spray the Jusenkyo packets could reduce even a company of men to total helplessness or turn a platoon into something right out of Greek mythology with strength to match.

Jusenkyo was why Wilson was here in a desolate part of Nevada on the edge of a long dried up lake bed an Air Force base that officially didn't exist behind him in the middle of the night. "Do it," ordered Wilson.

A sergeant nodded and opened a lead container and removed a gray crystal from within. The sergeant then threw the crystal as if it was a grenade. The moment the crystal hit the ground a gray circular object emerged. Around the circle's edge was a mixture of astrological symbols for the nine known planets, the Earth's moon, and the sun itself, the taoist yin yang symbol mirroring the one over the opening, and one Chinese character called Wu meaning void or nothing.

"Sergeant, the Tokyo crystal," ordered Wilson.

The sergeant nodded and took a gold crystal from the lead container. He then walked up to the structure and inserted the crystal. Wilson noted that the Earth symbol glowed gold while several of the other symbols pulsed white in quick secession including the Wu symbol. The center yin yang symbol then started spinning until it became a uniform gray. The grey was then replaced by what looked like a dojo with several youma and humans doing martial arts techniques. A figure in a black robe held up his hand and the training stopped.

"Black Wiseman, the United State military has decided to take up you up on your generous offer."

"Excellent, the Grey Moon Clan is very eager to have the United States as an ally," said Black Wiseman gesturing. A stunning woman walked into view. "This is Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty, one of the three local groups who know of Jusenkyo. He had a misadventure with Spring of Submerged Girl. That is the pool I am initially sending as I think it one least likely to create undue problems." Black Wiseman pulled out a blue capped thermos and poured part of its contents into a cup. "Besides it is also the pool I fell into," said Black Wiseman and he poured the contents on his head.

Wilson and the sergeant watched as the robed figure developed clear female curves. Black Wiseman removed his hood revealing a young girl with red hair. "While you feel it may be redundant I must restate that unlike the temporary packets there is no cure for the permanent water as the pools mix rather than replace each other. Make sure whoever volunteers for this knows _exactly_ what they are getting into."

"Understood, and we have taken proper precautions in selecting the testing area."

"Good, given there was once a Pool of Drowned Man in Japan I suspect that the power of Jusenkyo can be carried and established in other locations. One of our clan's youma got a hold of the Guide's map of the area and noted every pool on it and I am including the rough latitude and longitude of the place. While I trust the Joketsuzoku, Musk Dynasty, and Phoenix Mountain peoples to keep quiet about Jusenkyo the Guide there _was_ wearing the uniform of the Chinese army even if it looked like it had seen better days. Even if he is smart enough not to tell anyone important, he is reckless enough to be selling Instant Jusenkyo packets via mail order even if it is through questionable magazines."

Wilson frowned as Black Wiseman made a gesture. One of the youma picked up a barrel and put it on a cart securing it with straps. Wilson and the sergeant watched as the youma and the barrel emerged from the portal. After coming down the ramp the youma nodded to the general and returned through the portal.

"Alright, let's get this to the lab boys," ordered Wilson his eyes remaining on the portal. "Thank you, Black Wiseman."

Black Wiseman nodded and the image return to a gray spinning disk that slowed down until it became the Taoist symbol.

"Sergeant, get this Stargate crated for transport to a more secure location," ordered Wilson.

"Yes, sir!" responded the sergeant saluting.

'You are not the only one who reads Sun Tzu, Black Wiseman,' thought Wilson. 'You may be our ally but that doesn't mean we trust you or your Grey Moon Clan anymore than we trust our human allies.'

~*~*Next day Camp Zama Army base, Japan.*~*~

General Adams and Commander Takahashi looked at each other and then back at the young man followed mixed group of humans and youma entering the base.

"General Adams and Commander Takahashi, something wrong? You seemed puzzled," asked the young man.

General Adams narrowed his eyes, "Black Wiseman?"

"You've got a good ear, General Adams; but when I am like this I prefer by real name Saotome Ranma."

"You're Black Wiseman?" asked Commander Takahashi stunned.

Ranma smiled. "My Pops was obsessive-compulsive when it came to martial arts. He started my training when I was four perhaps as young as three." Ranma frowned. "I am trying to put together a program a lot saner then what he used to train me as many of his methods would qualify at child abuse at best. For example, one of his methods of speed training was to steal food off my plate and that was one of Pops' less extreme methods."

Commander Takahashi developed a slight twitch in his left eye as General Adams' expression turned to shock. "Less extreme methods?"

"Yep, part of it was Pops would get his hands on a technique and improvise the blazes out of it or do it without reading it all the way through. To be fair to Pops I do seriously wonder about someone who goes to great length to describe a technique and only on the last page of it tells you that only a total idiot would ever train anyone in it."

General Adams' face went pale. "He trained you in such a technique."

"Yep. A little gem called the Neko-ken and no I'm not going to tell you how it is done. Everybody I tell about how the Neko-ken is done gets this desire to go find Pops and put him into a major hurt locker, a grave, or both. As angry as the Dark Kingdom youma got regarding what little I did tell them about the trip they still respect Pops more than they ever will Beryl. Besides, Pops did develop two very powerful techniques." Ranma smiled. "The discomfort you two are experiencing trying to look at me my own variant of the Umisenken which is designed to interfere with a martial artist's Dairokkan. Your eyes tell you I'm here but your battle sense says I'm not, hence the unease."

Adams nodded as Ranma and his group were lead to the practice range. Near the end of the field to one side dressed in an outdated uniform stood a mannequin a rifle in his hand. On a table about 100 yards from the mannequin sat a table with a pile of pennies on it. "This is a speed technique that uses ki, Kachü Tenshin Amaguriken!"

The two officers stared in shock at the mannequin who now looked like he had been hit with a machine gun.

"Emotional Ki energy," said Ranma generating a red ball of energy in his hand. "Rage's Inferno!" The mannequin and a good part of the area he was standing in was now on fire as if hit with napalm.

"Fire crews!" ordered Adams his mind still trying to grasp what he was seeing.

"Near as we can figure the Moon Kingdom figured out a way to bypass the training normally required to do these types of ki techniques," continued Ranma calmly.

"You mean all those insane stories coming out of Nerima were true?" Takahashi asked his eyes as big as dinner plates

"Don't know about all but I image a good hunk are true," replied Ranma.

Several hours later after Ranma and his group had gone home Adams was rereading the report he was sending back to the Joint Chiefs.

"If it wasn't for the fact I had people filming this every step of the way my superiors would think I had lost my freaking mind," muttered Adams to Takahashi. "Blasted report still reads like a script for a Kung Fu film though 'Subject proceeded to demonstrate Bakusai Tenketsu on old Sherman tank causing it to shatter as if it was made of glass.' I saw him do it and I _still_ have a problem believing it," Adams sighed staking his head.

"I thought the stories were wild exaggerations not toned down accounts," said Takahashi shaking his head.

"It is the reports the youma Black Wiseman brought along with him related about Beryl's early attempts at getting human ki that really worry me," said Adams rereading another part of his report. "That manic was trying to establish a foothold right in the heart of Japan by draining people like crazy and aside from a bunch of under age under dressed girls nobody even noticed. Then I was informed that a breakaway faction of the Dark Kingdom calling itself the Dark Agency was doing the same blasted thing in London for a year before Beryl's antics in Tokyo."

"The mainstream press _is_ starting to notice the similarities between London of a year ago and Tokyo of the last few months and it is only a matter of time before somebody connects enough of the dots to ask Black Wiseman," commented Takahashi as Adams pulled out another report.

"I got some disturbing information regarding that message that Tokyo ham radio operator named Meioh Setsuna picked nearly two weeks ago," said Adams. "Not only could it not have come from outside our solar system but it is actually the radio frequency of one of NASA's old space probes: Pioneer 10."

"Could _not_ have come from outside our solar system?" asked Takahashi.

"The NASA boys explained that the message was a standard radio signal which would have at best to have been sent four years ago for us to be receiving it now if it had come from outside the solar system. But listen to what it says: Message regarding improved relations with Neo-Queen Serenity and creation of Grey Moon Clan received. Grey Moon Clan with Clan Head Eclipse, Advisor Black Wiseman, and Guardian Chronos Aeon has been formally acknowledged. All Clans of Nemesis eagerly awaiting further developments.

While the first part is a puzzle, the second part clearly refers to very recent events. The NASA boys also inform me that given the position the Earth was in Pioneer 10 would have to have been far away from where it was supposed to be for the message to be received when it was. So they sent two signals to Pioneer 10: one where it was supposed to be and one to a position that agreed with the ham operator's account. They got responses _both_ times but the second response was far stronger than it should have been and contained the cryptic comment 'direct communication with clan NASA acknowledged. Recommend contact Wiseman for faster responses; Nemesis round trip 27 light hours.' That would put Nemesis at about 100 times the distance Earth is from the sun-well within our solar system."

"This is beginning to sound like one of those Gojira films where aliens from Planet X are involved," said Takahashi rubbing his temples.

"It gets better," said Adams. "I thought the whole thing regarding the ham operator was a little too convenient and so did research into her past; turns out this Meioh Setsuna doesn't really exist. Her entire past is an elaborate fraud."

Takahashi laughed humorlessly. "Sounds like we have been used."

"We also found out that she is a councilor at the very school where Wiseman and his allies got into their first conflict with the Sailor Senshi." Adams pulled out another report. "We convinced the local authorities to issue a warrant and on her desk underneath a little stand up note that said 'About time, Lestrade. Here is another clue as what is _really_ going on' was a medical article—that according to the date on it won't be published for another six months. This is where things went down the freaking rabbit hole, as that article is also in the Nemesis medical database along with hundreds of articles that haven't been published yet. Further research showed articles post dating those for nearly 1,000 years."

Takahashi blinked and frowned. "You are not suggesting…"

"He's not _suggesting_ anything, I am all but telling you," commented a voice.

Takahashi and Adams turned to face the smiling green haired women in a sharp business suit now standing at the door to the office.

"Meioh Setsuna, I presume," said Adams.

"Sorry about the round about way of doing this but as Guardian of the Grey Moon Clan I do have my reasons," said Setsuna.

"You're really Chronos Aeon," commented Takahashi his frown now a scowl. "Mind telling us what this little trip through Weirdness Central was all about."

"It was about repayment for the kindness and understanding you gave my clan, Commander," said Setsuna. "You both deserved to know what was really going on."

"Problem is in letting us know you let a lot of other people know," frowned Adams.

Setsuna chuckled. "General Adams, your ultimate superiors are still trying to get a handle on the idea of space traveling aliens and that the Phoenix Republic is some sort of pocket reality. Your own CIA was so out of the loop regarding Earthly matters they didn't even know the Berlin Wall was coming down and you are expecting _them_ to connect the dots on this? The only people who will put the pieces together will keep quiet about it and are in positions to make sure it is stuff only tabloids will speculate about."

"Point made," said Adams folding his hands. "But then given the description it should have been obvious one of the requirements of a Guardian was to be an expert in Black Ops."

"I'd hardly call myself an expert in them, General," admitted Setsuna who then narrowed her eyes. "However, you seem to handling the sudden appearance of someone in closed room on a supposedly secure base unusually well even by Nerima standards."

"After watching one supposedly human person do stuff that most people would say is imposable I had to become more open minded unless I want to go Section 8. Besides there is a story that someone dressed in what passed as a Dark Kingdom general's uniform appeared out of nowhere several months ago; according to the story he was somehow able to control jets and was trying to use them to run over some of the Sailor Sensei."

Setsuna winced. "From what I have learned that was Shitennou Jedite who Beryl imprisoned in crystal after he failed her too many times. They are working on a way to release him but it is secondary to getting their fledgling republic up and running so they can formally become part of Earth's social political scene."

Adams nodded. "They want to make sure they can walk before trying to run."

"Exactly and there is the possibly of one other enemy Purple Wiseman hasn't really considered."

"Whatever the Moon Kingdom became after the last battle some 12,000 years ago," said Adams.

Setsuna nodded. "Someone had to dump all the Moon Kingdom tech that has been popping up like dandelions into this universe. We have a nasty theory that the Dark Agency situation in England may have been a false flag operation. The remaining Shitennou and youma assured us that Beryl as been attacking Tokyo and only Tokyo. Also the name of the Shitennou involved, Danburite, is that of a legendary nearly mythical person that along with 50 youma is said to have left the Dark Kingdom to form a Kingdom where youma not humans would be the rulers."

"Legendary nearly mythical person?" asked Takahashi.

"With no sun, moon, or seasons as we understand them there is no way to really mark time in what was the Dark Kingdom," explained Setsuna. "Neith noted that the story said the clans Danburite took with him liked to accent their youma nature by purposely adding non human features to their human forms would explain what she felt was a curiosity in Western mythology regarding the Egyptian Pantheon. But if that is the case then the events happened at least 5,000 years ago."

"But why?" asked Adams.

"The Moon Kingdom believed in reincarnation and Purple Wiseman shows that they had the ability to store a person's life and then implant those memories into someone believed to be that person's reincarnation. Everything points to Queen Serenity's last action in that war 12,000 years ago was to do something that killed well over 200 billion people across the entire solar system while ensuring that her daughter and her protectors the Sailor Senshi would be reincarnated. Looking at Purple Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity's timeline you have the Dark Agency, Beryl's Dark Kingdom, followed by more energy draining aliens, followed by a 6 month lull, followed by a massive energy draining thing and some world freezing manic all in a three to four year period. As Black Wiseman would say it's all too blasted convenient."

"You think all of this is some grand plan that in their world went wrong?" asked Takahashi.

"All of it? No, everything points to Pharaoh 90 being some kind of failsafe device set up long ago. Besides he only knew of this Earth because of an accident some six years ago. In the 12,000 years that have passed it is quite possible no one in the reality of the Moon Kingdom even knows he exists. I do agree that all this Moon Kingdom tech showing up out of the blue now is suspicious but what we have is not showing any transport into this reality. Then again we are using the hand me downs they sent us as our baseline."

"While I understand it; I still don't like waiting for this Pharaoh 90 thing to establish his portal," said Adams. "Neither do my superiors but they understand that Pharaoh 90 itself must be destroyed otherwise this mess starts up all over again somewhere else."

"As long as they understand that much," said Setsuna smiling. She then gestured and disappeared.

Adams sighed. "Why didn't that surprise me?

~*~*RS*~*~


	15. Chap 15 Dreams and Reality

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 15 – Dreams and Reality

Usagi frowned as she ran down the street Luna behind her. Why did this feel so blasted familiar?

Usagi paled when she saw a youma strangling Naru. "After I kill you, I'll send her to the other world with you," hissed the youma.

"This, this is my first battle as Sailor Moon," Usagi stammered outloud.

The youma turned its head nearly 180 degrees. "Who are you?" she hissed.

Usagi scowled. "I am Eclipse, head of the Grey Moon clan and per the ancient protocol I ask who are you and why you are treating potential food with such disregard."

"Sailor Moon, what are you doing?" asked Luna.

"Shut up, Luna. I am _not_ Sailor Moon," hissed Usagi as her skin changed to the bluish grey she had when in her cold water form and her hand lashed out at the youma grabbing her by the throat.

"I am Moruga and I serve Queen Beryl," gasped the youma.

"You dare put a boosted piece of food above your clan head and your clan?" growled Usagi glowing red. "And here I thought that I could have saved you; instead I find there was nothing worth saving."

**SNAP**

"Don't worry, Naru," said Usagi as the youma's corpse fell to floor. "That…clanless piece of garbage will not be hurting you or anyone else."

"I don't understand," said a male voice.

Usagi turned and looked at Tuxedo Mask standing in a window a full story above the floor. "That's the problem isn't it, Tuxedo Mask. You and Luna don't seem to even want to understand. But now you can't go pretending youma are simply evil monsters anymore; not when your precious Princess is one," Usagi finished the moon symbol glowing on her forehead and the room filled with golden light.

"Eclipse, I know the youma need energy but doing this at five in the morning is a little much," said Ranma's calm voice.

"Five in the morning?" asked Usagi turning and finding Ranma dressed in his Black Wiseman outfit. "Are you telling me that I not just dreaming about generating an aura but am doing one in the real world?"

"Dreaming?" asked Ranma his head cocking to one side. "Eclipse…Usagi, what am I doing?"

"You're standing there looking at me like I just told you I believed one of your father's schemes."

"No, I am waving my hand in front of your face."

Usagi sighed and closed her eyes. When she reopened them she saw a concerned Ranma dressed in his normal silks waving his hand in her face with Zirconite behind him. "I'm awake and I am worried," she said grabbing the hand at the wrist. "In my dream I relived my first Sailor Moon battle but I was able to become Eclipse. It didn't change the ultimate outcome of the meeting—I still killed Moruga."

"Do you remember why?" asked Zirconite softly.

"She was needlessly threatening my friend and when I invoked the old protocol she said served Beryl not mentioning her clan or its head. I lost my temper and broke her neck killing her on the spot," Usagi said wincing.

Zirconite nodded in understanding. "I think your mind was trying to show what I have been telling you-even with what you have now there were some youma you couldn't have saved. Moruga was one of those. As far as she was concerned Beryl _was_ all that mattered."

"In the dream I lost control," commented Usagi.

"But it was a _dream_ not reality," commented Ranma. "Ask yourself this; if you hadn't been angry would you have done the some thing?"

Usagi sighed looking at the floor. "Yes, I would have. From everything I have been told, Moruga would have never accepted an offer for membership in another clan even with the ability to become something else. Beryl of that time had two options for youma-succeed or become clanless. There would have been nothing other to do but to give Moruga a quick death." Usagi scowled as she raised her head. "That doesn't mean I _like_ it."

"A Clanhead may have to make decisions they don't like for the good of the clan and it goals," said Ranma. "Just as an Advisor may have to propose unpleasant or bring up unpopular points of note."

"You are settling into the role of Advisor very quickly, Ranma," said Purple Wiseman as he and a curious Neo-Queen Serenity entered the Dojo. "Perhaps too quickly even by our standards."

"What _our_ standards, Purple Wiseman?" asked Ranma looking at his future self. "You can't come up with speedy improvisations even if someone gave you a freaking road map. For instance, while you are taking your own sweet time getting to know Neo-Queen Serenity your world is going to have to be wondering just what the blazes is going on."

Purple Wiseman chuckled. "Ranma, I realize that time is passing back home but they understand that the distances made any meaningful communication impossible. They may try using that old Pioneer 10 spacecraft to contact me but they aren't expecting anything for months if they don't receive a formal communication that we were attacked on arrival. It will be months before anyone even starts worrying."

"Huh? But I thought from what Pluto said that you were sending cryptic updates back to them so they wouldn't worry."

"What?" asked Purple Wiseman as Ranma made a sound halfway between a snort and laugh as he shook his head.

"Sailor Mercury picked up two messages about 30 hours apart sent from Nemesis via some old space probe," explained Neo-Queen Serenity. "The first said 'received signal of safe arrival on Earth for negotiations but following update signal garbled. Please resend.' The second said 'received automatic status signal of all nine Royal Family members as well as Black Moon Clan candidate status for person calling herself Wicked Lady. Acknowledged Wicked Lady as name of the daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity. Good tidings to the Black Moon Clan and especially to their and our sensei Wiseman.' According to Sailor Pluto-I mean Chronos Aeon-my daughter established a connection between our two times. I assumed that she had told you that."

"Given the messages being sent back to Nemesis are so brief to be nearly cryptic we assumed that Purple Wiseman knew especially as his crystal is aware," said Ranma frowning. "It is clear we should have double checked."

Purple Wiseman shook his head chuckling. "It takes nearly 27 hours for light to make a round trip between here and Nemesis so the messages have to be information dense. As for Jakoku knowing about them, the messages would be handled by her automatic systems. Unless it was flagged high priority there would be no reason for her to notice it anymore then you notice most of the breaths you take."

Ranma nodded in understanding as he looked at the Stargate. "Makes you wonder what the automatic systems of the various governments are doing regarding our little bombshell."

"CIA, KGB, MI6, and whoever else is out there," commented Purple Wiseman.

Ranma snickered. "It's the whoever else is out there part I wonder about. There have got to agencies and projects in terms of secrecy that are on par with the Manhattan Project during WWII. The US may be the Phoenix Republic's ally but they are still not taking any chances. After activating the Stargate in some remove place that I later found out was called Groom Lake, Nevada they packed up the thing and shipped it to just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. A little research gave me Area 51 and Cheyenne Mountain respectively."

Purple Wiseman gave a low whistle. "Certainly coming up in the world aren't you?"

"We certainly are shaking up the status quo and there are people who are not going to be happy about that," said Usagi. "It's the extremists that might decide to _do_ something regardless of what they know about us that worry me."

"That seems uncharacteristically grim for you, Usagi," said Purple Wiseman.

"You've said it yourself; we are not you. You showed me the world is not black and white but shades of gray. I have to temper my idealist dreams with reality but not to the point where my caution becomes the near paranoia Luna had."

"I would hardly called being concerned about Beryl paranoia, _Eclipse_," fumed Luna

Usagi looked at the moon cat frowning. "Thinking nearly everyone with abilities was one of her agents was."

Luna looked down at the ground. "I guess in that respect I _did_ go too far."

"Given my idealist enthusiasm at the time perhaps it was warranted but using one extreme to offset another is rarely a good idea," said Usagi gesturing to Purple Wiseman with her thumb. "But I have seen the mess that type of idealistic naivety resulted in and so have learned to temper it. For instance, just because we have eliminated Beryl's ability to force the youma to do her bidding doesn't mean she is gone as a threat. Similarly the now redubbed Phoenix Republic has not and will not be greeted with open arms by everybody."

"Now that is like the Princess I remember," commented Luna.

"I don't know if that is a good thing," commented Usagi looking at the Stargate a frown on her face.

"She is hardly the most unbiased source, Eclipse," said Ranma.

"No, but she does have views that I need to understand. Plus she might be the only one who has the answer to a memory that has been bothering me."

**~*~*Phoenix Republic, Beryl's throne*~*~**

Beryl sat on her throne looking at the youma talking among themselves as they exchanged information about Earth. Beryl closed her eyes; for the time being they had forgotten about her but they would eventually remember and then… Metaria mentally sighed as Beryl's imagination went into overdrive again.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who can sleep in a chair," quipped a voice.

Beryl eyes opened and she frowned at the pair that was standing in front of her. Beryl frown turned into a scowl. "Come to gloat, _Princess_?"

The reincarnated Princess of the Moon frowned back while Black Wiseman's facial reaction was unreadable beneath his hood. "No. In fact it is because of the Princess I am here. I am regaining some of her childhood memories regarding her best friend from Earth who looked a lot like you but her name was Morganite."

Beryl paled and then turned crimson with anger. "Morganite was my elder twin sister. Queen Serenity felt the deep friendship you two had was a threat and had her killed." Beryl leaped from her throne and grabbed Eclipse by the throat. "Because of her friendship with you my sister died!"

"You want to blame someone, blame that boosted piece of bad food Queen Serenity," snapped Eclipse as she punched Beryl in the stomach causing Beryl to let loose her grip and fall to her knees.

"Get it through your thick boosted head, Beryl," hissed Eclipse. "The Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom is _dead_. Despite what delusions you and Luna may have to the contrary just because I am her reincarnation does NOT mean I am her!" bellowed Eclipse a red aura forming around her. "I am my own person."

"Why must you choose to still live in the past as I once did," asked a voice the sound of heals clicking on the hard crystal that surrounded Beryl throne denoting the owner's approach.

"I know that voice," hissed Beryl as she pulled herself to her feet. "Sailor Pluto!"

"I used to be called that," scowled the woman walking up to the throne. "But not these days," she continued her complexion turning a slightly darker shade of green than her hair.

"You're a… You're a…," stammered Beryl her eyes wide as dinner plates.

"I believe the word you are looking for is youma," commented the woman a feral grin on her face. "Oh for future reference _my_ name is Chronos Aeon."

Beryl grabbed her throne with one hand as her mind tried to process just what this meant. Beryl then paled as the implications of just what she was seeing hit her. "How many?" she whispered.

"What do you know, you're _not_ as sharp as a bowling ball," snickered Chronos Aeon the feral grin still on her face. "Counting Eclipse and myself there are five…so far."

Beryl slowly sat down pale with shock and Metaria was in little better shape.

"Beryl, do you know why Queen Serenity felt the Princess' friendship with Morganite was a threat?" asked Eclipse softly.

Beryl scowled. "Morganite was a _fraternal_ not identical twin. She took more after her youma heritage then I did. Yet, in terms of personality she and Princess were very similar."

"I think I know where this is going," grumbled Black Wiseman.

"So do I," hissed Eclipse the fury evident in her voice. "You can't pass youma off as vermin or parasites to your daughter when her best friend is one. The more I hear the less I think of Queen Serenity and her Moon Kingdom and the angrier I get at believing the utopian drivel Luna originally fed me."

"I wouldn't be too hard on yourself," said Black Wiseman. "I wasn't exactly a paragon of right thinking either before Purple Wiseman arrived."

"Sounds you don't like Queen Serenity any more than I do," commented Beryl chuckling softly.

"Right now I am not thrilled with _either_ of you," scowled Eclipse. "But my disgust with Queen Serenity does not mean I trust you anymore than I trust Luna's Swiss cheesed memories of the Moon Kingdom."

"I'm afraid in this matter my memories are going to be little help either in that exactly why what happened was never clear," commenting a frowning Chronos Aeon. "The assassin died before a full deposition could be taken. Some believe that he was a pawn of internal Earth politics while others held that he was hired by either Queen Serenity or allies acting on her behalf. It was still being hotly debated when everything hit the fan about ten years later."

"Looks like everyone overlooked the other possibility," commented Black Wiseman.

"The same possibility we are looking at now," said Eclipse.

"What possibility was that?" snarled Beryl.

"A third party wanting to escalate things between Earth and the Moon Kingdom so they could step in and deal with whatever was left," said Black Wiseman.

"We have theorized something similar may be going on now," said Chronos Aeon meaningfully looking at Beryl. "Have you heard of Sailor V?"

Beryl frowned. "One of the youma under Jedite did relate some garbled mess about video games involving someone dressed as a Sailor Senshi fighting youma in a place called England but I never paid much attention to it as it sounded like some altered version of what was going on with Sailor Moon in Japan."

"Those games were actually based on real events involving calling itself the Dark Agency overseen by some claiming to be working for the Dark Kingdom and using the name Danburite," said Eclipse calmly.

Beryl shifted on her throne her frown now mixed with some thoughtfulness. "Wait a minute," commented Beryl thinking out loud. "England is where Purple Wiseman's friend King Arthur Pendragon had his earthly kingdom Camelot over thousand years ago. But why there and why use the name of an ambitious but delusional man who couldn't even count that only I and the equally long lived Shitennou would even understand the relevance of?"

"Thoth thinks she may have a theory as to the why there," said Chronos Aeon. "There are three items from the Moon Kingdom that can be combined into a fourth item named the Holy Grail." Chronos Aeon narrowed her eyes. "The last Quest of King Arthur and his Knights which indirectly led to the end the kingdom of Camelot was the Quest for the Holy Grail."

"If it was just the similarity in names it wouldn't be a big deal but there are other issues," said Black Wiseman quickly.

"The main one is that if the barrier between Earth and here weakened I was to wake up first and evaluate the situation. That did not happen," said Chronos Aeon in an annoyed tone.

"From what we have been able to put together we think someone set up the situation in England as a false flag operation to determine how well the Sailor Senshi and your forces would do in a conflict," said Eclipse a touch of anger in her voice.

"That's not all," said Black Wiseman. "Thoth used records of Sensei encounters and the youma's own statements to calculate the amount of energy being drained on Earth and being received here. Far more was being received then was being drained. That extra energy had to be coming from somewhere. The most logical place would have been from what was gathered in England."

"Something like that little energy crystal you made," said Beryl scowling.

"Yes but a lot more sophisticated," said Black Wiseman reaching up and removing his hood revealing a scowl on his face. "I see by your expression that you have already come to the same conclusion we have but there is even more that makes what is going on extremely frightening."

"We think we have put together a reasonable reconstruction of what really happened in Neo-Queen Serenity's timeline and once you hear it… Well let's just say you are not going to be happy," said Eclipse her eyes flashing red for a moment.

"We think that whatever survived the last battle of the Moon Kingdom decided they didn't want a replay of that conflict and shuttled your prison's connection and that of the cryogenic chambers from their reality to ours," explained Black Wiseman. "They then periodically monitored our reality to insure that if a conflict did break out that collateral damage would be kept to a minimum."

"The barrier got to the point they felt they could force the issue at a time of their choosing without causing too much attention," said Eclipse. "But they needed a test to see if their theories and plans would hold up and also gather the energy needed to weaken the barrier and so set up the operation up in England."

"That operation gave them enough information and energy to go forward with their main project," continued Black Wiseman, "but something went wrong with the way the war ended. Neo-Queen Serenity used the Moon Kingdom's magic as a combination of resurrection machine and memory reset button. So they sent in another group with similar tactics and methods to reawaken the memories but in such a way the old views of youma as vermin or parasites were not reawakened with them."

"Then Pharaoh 90 showed up throwing whatever they had planed past that point into the garbage heap," commented Chronos Aeon. "We think that Princess Snow Kaguya might have been a last ditch attempt to stop Pharaoh 90 by temporally slowing down ki production via suspended animation but instead resulted in Pharaoh 90 wiping out 90 percent of the world's population."

Beryl clenched her teeth as her left hand grabbed the armrest of her throne so hard her knuckles turned white. "Are you telling me that I have used?" she hissed.

"At some level that is what everything points to," said Eclipse her eyes flickering with barely suppressed anger ki again. "But not just you but me, my friends, the people of England and Tokyo, and kami knows who else." Eclipse leaned forward the anger quite clear in her features. "This may surprise you Beryl but it is not being used like a pawn that pisses me off but that it is being used by a bunch of people who in terms of strategy seem to be unable to find their own butt with both hands and a road map."

Beryl chuckled as she frowned in thought. "I have the feeling you didn't come here just to tell me all this."

Eclipse nodded. "Very perceptive, Beryl. Let me make it clear. We may not trust you but we aren't so callous as to leave you to your fate. However, we are _not_ offering even a chance at regaining the station or power you held in the past. What we _are_ offering is a chance to better yourself in exchange for what memories of the Moon Kingdom you have."

"I'll warn you now, Beryl," said Black Wiseman. "This is not going to be an easy path. But if you take and stay with it you will gain something you likely never had—the respect of the youma both there and on Earth." Black Wiseman extended his hand. "So what do you say, Beryl? Little more than food for the rest of your life or a chance at something better?"

Beryl scowled at the hand. "There _is_ no choice, Black Wiseman," Beryl snarled as she grasped the hand. Beryl then blinked as Black Wiseman changed from a man to a young girl with red hair. It was a younger version of the form Purple Wiseman had taken but this time she noticed there was something familiar in the eyes. "Morg?"

Black Wiseman blinked as he let go of Beryl's hand. "Crimson, as far as I know I am the reincarnation of Sailor Pluto's mother _not_ your twin sister. If you want to be informal Ranma will do."

"You called me Crimson," whispered Beryl.

Ranma frowned. "Hmm, I did but I don't understand the significance…"

"That was my sister's pet name for me," said a shaking Beryl.

"With the time frames involved it is possible I did reincarnate as Morganite," said Ranma, "But that doesn't mean I am her any more than she was or I am Chronos Aeon's mother."

"Except when you go Neko," reminded Eclipse.

"I'm not sure exactly what happens when I go Neko now," commented Ranma as she rubbed her bottom lip in thought. "In the past I simply would freak out and not remember anything I did but now I remember what happens but it feels, well, _off_. I can't really put it into words. I'm still Saotome Ranma but it's like my perceptions change."

Beryl frowned in thought. "You changed form when we shook hands."

"I needed you to have _some_ martial arts knowledge so I don't have to work from the bottom. The change was to limit the amount of ki knowledge you got. My own mother going Neko is enough thank you very much," said Ranma.

Beryl considered the situation. There seemed to be a strong indication that deep within Black Wiseman was her long dead sister but also in there was the mother of Sailor Pluto and possibly others. "Even if I could return to the way things were what could I do? Queen Serenity is long dead. This Earth has technology that in some respects is beyond anything my Earth ever had." said Beryl gesturing to her crystal ball. "Who needs Sailor Saturn when you have that…that nightmare at your finger tips?"

"Just remember, Beryl," said Eclipse her voice cold and hard. "You are not dealing with Queen Serenity or that airheaded counterpart of mine Neo-Queen Serenity. There is still the issue of payment for what you have done over the last 12,000 years and we _will_ see that payment metered out even if it takes another 12,000 years to do it."

Beryl nodded grimly as she thought, 'At least this way I will have something.'

**~*~*Cheyenne Mountain*~*~**

"I may have something on Black Wiseman's portal, General Andrew," said a man who looked very much like the stereotype of a professor complete with glasses.

"What do you have for me, Doctor Jackson?" asked General Andrew his eyes never leaving Black Wiseman's portal.

"General Wilson's video shows that the markings around the edge of the gate glowed in a particular order indicating some form of coordinate system. I finally figured out what system he is likely using. It's a modified version of alchemy's number system."

General Andrew turned startled. "What?"

"The clue was in the gate's idle state. Seven of the astrological symbols have different colors. Saturn is black, Jupiter blue, Moon white, Mercury violet, Mars red of course, Venus green, and Sol gold. The first seven symbols to glow were Sol and Wu together, then Earth, then Moon, Mars, Mercury, and Wu with a pause between Mars and Mercury. I read that as the first two symbols establishing the destination within our solar system, the next establishing the planet within the solar system, and the rest being the coordinates. Now in alchemy those symbols also have numbers; so Moon, Mars, Mercury, Wu become three five four zero. Tokyo is 35 degrees 40 minutes north Latitude."

General Andrew turned to face the gate an expression of stunned surprise on his face. "Then that note with all those astronomical symbols on it that was in the box with the crystal…"

"Were locations," finished Doctor Jackson. "One is on Earth and the other is on Earth's Moon. Assuming Black Wiseman is using Uranus and Neptune for eight and nine then one is in the Bayankala mountain range, south of Mount Kensei in the Qinghai province of China and the other is dead center of his new lunar base."

General Andrew paled. "Good god. I think he just gave us exact latitude and longitude of Jusenkyo."

"That is what I suspect as well," agreed Doctor Jackson.

Several hours later. "General Andrew, the Pentagon has confirmed what looks like another Stargate at that latitude and longitude in the midst of a valley with numerous pools," commented Doctor Jackson.

General Andrew nodded. "We've tied a computer into the portal. Lieutenant, key in Black Wiseman's Earth coordinates."

Everyone watched as the yin yang symbol spun faster and faster becoming gray. Then the gray was replaced by a valley with pools as far as the eye could see. "Just as Black Wiseman described it," said Doctor Jackson in awe.

"Yes, and this confirms one of the concerns the Joint Chiefs have," commented General Andrew as he walked toward the Stargate. "This technology allows the Grey Moon Clan to go anywhere it wants bypassing every conventional defense known."

"And yet Black Wiseman literally gave us this technology," wondered Doctor Jackson as he adjusted his glasses, "as well as access to two locations he could have kept secret."

"He gave us the ability to use the technology not to make it," General Andrew reminded the scientist. "But you are right about the locations. Also from what I have read in the reports it is only the weirdness of the Nerima district of Tokyo that keeps the crazy things that happen there from being taken seriously by the outside world. Black Wiseman must be smart enough to know that won't last."

"He was smart enough to base his design off of object in an American movie called Stargate," commented Doctor Jackson.

"Perhaps, though the correspondences General Adams has been relaying to us give no indication of that," commented the general as he looked through the gate, "meaning Black Wiseman is either very good at hiding things he doesn't want others to know or had a luck streak that would break Las Vegas."

The two men watched as a man dressed in a very ill fitting Chinese uniform cautiously approached the gate and then gave a big sigh. He continued approaching until he was standing on the other side of the gate. He then cocked his head to the side. "You not Black Wiseman," he said in very heavily accented English.

"No, we are not though we are allied with him," said the general cautiously. "Who are you?"

"I Jusenkyo Guide," said the man gesturing to the pools. "Guide assume you been informed."

The general nodded. "The water turns you into whatever drowned in them."

The Guide pulled out a pipe and started smoking it. "Guide assume you worry about People's Liberation Army. No worry. Few outsider customers ever come here. No one listen to Guide or Guide's ancestors. Why this change?"

General Andrew frowned. "People are listening to Black Wiseman."

The Guide laughed. "You worry someone make Jusenkyo weapon? Qin Shi Huang try, great Genghis Khan try, those under Chairman Mao try, even local Musk, Phoenix tribe, and Joketsuzoku try. Things go wrong. People fall in wrong pools. Transports break down. Containers leak or get mislabeled. _Many_ try. All fail. Jusenkyo well protected."

"Yes, Jusenkyo _is_ well protected," announced a firm female voice as its apparent owner landed.

"Wings?" asked Doctor Jackson. "She has wings?"

"I am Kiima, warrior of the Phoenix tribe and advisor to Lord Sa Fulang," said the winged woman.

General Andrew nodded his head. "I am Jason Andrew, Brigadier General of the United States Army and commander of Cheyenne Mountain."

Kiima gestured to the Stargate. "I assume that you are allied with the person called Black Wiseman."

"Yes, we are," said the general.

"We have many questions about him," said Kiima. "Like how one of his companions can claim to be a future version of my people's Lord."

"Slight correction there, Kiima," said a female voice. "That Sa Fulang belongs to the Black Moon Clan not ours."

Kiima turned as everyone saw a woman in her mid twenties dressed in a sailor style outfit with big bows on it an expression of amusement on her face approach. "I am Chronos Aeon Guardian of the Grey Moon Clan; Black Wiseman is our Advisor. The Sa Fulang you are talking about belongs to the _Black_ Moon Clan whose advisor is _Purple_ Wiseman." Chronos Aeon turned and faced the Stargate. "The Stargate is based on a crude understanding of a Moon Kingdom artifact known as the Time Gates. The Time Gates were designed to fully exploit the possibilities of the Einstein-Rosen Bridge."

"The Einstein-Rosen Bridge warps spacetime and…" Doctor Jackson paled. "Oh my God."

"You're talking about time travel," said Kiima frowning.

"No, I am talking about space _and_ time travel—the Moon Kingdom's true ultimate weapon. The only limitation it has is its scan of the future is very prone to the butterfly effect."

"Butterfly effect?" asked General Andrew.

"Part of Chaos Theory, General," said Doctor Jackson adjusting his glasses. "It means that very subtle changes in initial conditions result in wildly different results. It is why weather forecasts become more and more erratic the further you go into the future."

"We theorize that the reason the Moon Kingdom didn't see Beryl's attack is it was akin to a coin landing on edge—so low a probability as to be nearly be nonexistent," explained Chronos Aeon. "The problem is we also theorize that there was a third faction involved likely working behind the scenes to make sure the conflict happened and the successor to that faction might have its finger in this mess. I say might because we have no proof but there are just too many things that make what was happening coincidence."

General Andrew nodded in understanding. "That has been the Joint Chief's assessment of the situation as well."

Chronos Aeon frowned in thought. "General, the Moon Kingdom had sophisticated cryogenics," she finally said.

"So there is the possibility that someone from that long ago war has woken up and is directing things," said General Andrew.

Chronos Aeon gave a deep sigh. "Not a possibility, a certainty, for I am the last known survivor of the Moon Kingdom's side and if I am around there is no reason not to suspect that someone else from that time is still about as well."

General Andrew narrowed his eyes. "Pool of Drowned Youma."

Chronos Aeon nodded.

General Andrew now sighed deeply. "Mind telling us who you were in the Moon Kingdom."

"I was Sailor Pluto, Guardian of the Time Gates. Given what is going on I don't think we can trust them. That is why Black Wiseman created the Crystal Gates and later these Stargates," Chronos Aeon said gesturing to the portal. "The Moon Kingdom was 50,000 Earth years old when it died but these Stargates are beyond anything _they_ had as travel between planets was at best at sublight speeds."

"Purple Wiseman and his Black Moon clan, they are from the future!" whispered Kiima.

"_A_ future Kiima, as there is no _the_ future," corrected Chronos Aeon. "For time travel to be possible time cannot be a straight line from past to future. Like a tree it has branches but that also means the old adage that you can't change history is still true. No action in our present can change the future Purple Wiseman belongs to but that also means his past is not our own future."

"That would also mean the very act of viewing a future changes the chance of it happening," said Doctor Jackson.

"Yes and that is why the Time Gates are useless to us. The more we know the more unpredictable the future becomes. Right now a Magic 8 ball would be more useful in seeing the most likely future. Besides considering the thing is over 60,000 years old we would have to be out of our minds to fully trust it."

**~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~**

Usagi and Ranma stepped out of the Stargate to find Turqua of the Doom and Gloom girls frowning at them. "Make us respect Beryl? Black Wiseman I trust there is something deeper than what on the surface appears to be you loosing your mind."

Ranma chuckled. "Very much so. I figured that if I played to Beryl ego just like Pops use to play to mine I could manipulate her in the direction I wanted. Having her learn martial arts with the youma in the Phoenix Republic gives her less time to brood and scheme."

"It is not just our handing of Beryl that has you in a bad mood is it?" Usagi asked the blond haired blue-green skinned youma.

"No it isn't. I can't accept that the same people that once regarded us as vermin have fully accepted actually turning into us to the point of saying they are youma in their cold water forms."

"It was either that or going nuts and given what was at stake going nuts was not an option," said Usagi. "As for saying that we are youma, that _is_ what we are in our cold water forms."

"It's deeper then that," said Ami in a sorrowful voice causing Usagi to look at her in surprise. "Once we started seeing the youma as living thinking beings rather than monsters of the week the Kubler Ross theory of Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance came into play regarding what we did to the youma as the Sailor Senshi." Ami narrowed her eyes. "What better way to deny what we did then to embrace our youma forms to the point that some of us even think of ourselves as youma in these forms?"

"That is denial; what of the others?' asked Ranma frowning.

"Oh anger is there. Queen Serenity, Beryl, some supposed third faction—someone is to blame for the needless youma deaths over the months we were Sailor Sensei," said Ami thoughtfully. "Bargaining is there as well in the form that we can somehow fix the mess we did as the Sailor Sensei. Sailor Pluto is the only one who visibly went through depression. As for acceptance," Ami gave a big sigh. "I don't think any of us are really there. Not with regards with what we did to the youma as Sailor Moon, Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter."

"Thoth…" began Rei scowling.

"That is another part of denial," interrupted Ami. "It is easier to call me Thoth then Ami and certainly easier than calling me Mercury."

"Denial or the simple fact that the names of the Sailor Sensei are not highly regarded in Phoenix Republic circles?" asked Ranma folding his arms. "We created these identities to confuse Beryl and begin communications with the youma that would have been difficult if not impossible otherwise."

"Perhaps, but Ami is right," said Usagi looking at her hands. "When is the last time we used hot water rather than our youma ability to take on our human forms? Have we become so ashamed of what we did as the Sailor Sensei and afraid of Neo-Queen Serenity and everything she represents that we are seeking solace in our youma identities?" Usagi then looked up into Turqua's eyes. "Do you now think less of us now?"

Turqua frowned in thought. "Actually, the opposite as you have accepted that there could be a problem and that you are asking for _my_ honest opinion on the matter. You also raise important questions regarding Sailor V."

Usagi smiled sadly, "She didn't take what happened in England very well, did she? Still, she hasn't made a choice one way or the other. My friends chose to step into the world of the youma for good and noble reasons but we are forgetting that we also have a foot in the _human_ world as well."

"I would like to point out you and your friends are still in the early stages of Jusenkyo," commented Ranma. "From personal experience I can say keeping in your warm water form is a royal pain for the first few months. I think the key here is that the pool's change is _physical_ not mental and while it can be argued the transformations are on the level that Mu Si, Sham Pu, or even Taro go through youma _can_ take on human form."

"You're saying that we might be able to tap into our human side by using our youma powers to look like humans?"

"Something like that. Besides it is safer than using your warm water form as cold will find you at the worse possible time as Chronos Aeon found out."

"Point made." Usagi frowned for a moment. "We created Eclipse as a way to avoid all the problems the Sailor Senshi created and I used what little I learned from the Black Moon clan and the youma that eventually jointed our clan as how I should behave."

Turqua smiled. "I must say you learned well. There have been times like your conversation with Beryl that I had to remind myself that you were also a Sailor Senshi. From what I have heard you were little more than boosted food when you were still Sailor Moon but you did not abandon your goal even when you lost her power. You rather continued to learn from Black Wiseman to improve yourself as well as learn from others to replace that lost power. I regarded Sailor Moon as below even Beryl while Eclipse has my respect."

Usagi gave a brief smile. "Thanks. I know the level of respect your clan had under Beryl's misguided rule so I know what your option of me means."

Neo-Queen Serenity gave a bitter laugh as Sailor Mars scowled. "Still think we are the better version, Mars?" she asked the bitterness heavy in her voice causing Purple Wiseman to turn.

"These are not just another group of youma to you are they?"

"They are the last group we fought. It took the lives of my friends to defeat them allowing me to face Beryl."

"And you don't find anything wrong with the fact she is treating them as equals?!" screeched Mars pointing to Turqua and Usagi. "Those youma _killed_ us, Meatball Head; and this…_mockery_ of you is not only treating them as friends but complimenting them on their strength."

"Mockery?" retorted Rei in an equally angry tone. "The only mockery I see here is _you_. I rather be a part time youma thanks to Jusenkyo rather than the racial bigoted well preserved animated corpse with a chip on her shoulder the size of Mt. Fuji that is standing in front of me."

"You… FIRE… urk," gasped Mars as Rei grabbed her throat over the three foot distance between them.

"Is _that_ our way of handing things that don't fit our view of the world in your time?" roared Rei an anger aura forming around her. "Were you even thinking about the consequences of using Fire Soul here?"

"No, but then Mars was always a little like P-chan but with a far thinner skin," commented Purple Wiseman.

"Rei, calm down," said Usagi as she put a hand on the shoulder of her friend.

"Why should I?" hissed Rei. "It's not like I am in danger of killing her because she is already dead. She has been dead longer than Purple Wiseman lived on Nemesis."

"True but she still thinks and feels."

Rei's right eye twitched. "Please, we do not need you slipping back into that over idealistic mode you had as Sailor Moon."

Usagi scowled. "Rei, it is not being over idealistic to point out that while she may not be alive in any sense we understand the word Sailor Mars is still an intelligent thinking being. I just want to make sure that if you are going decorate the dojo's exterior with her intestines that you are doing it for the right reasons."

"Still think there is nothing wrong with her?" gasped Sailor Mars as she tried to pry Rei's clawed hand off her throat.

"No, because if I recall correctly I warned you if you didn't stop behaving like a trigger happy bigoted jerk that _I_ would rip your fool head off," responded Neo-Queen Serenity. "If anything both she and your counterpart are showing remarkable restraint."

"Restraint? Do you even hear yourself?" gasped Mars.

"What is the old adage? Actions speak louder than words. Take a good look at what you were trying to do, Mars! You were trying to blast your counterpart because you were angry with what she was saying rather than anything she was doing. To put it bluntly as possible, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" yelled Neo-Queen Serenity.

"What's wrong with her?" retorted Wicked Lady. "Do you really have to ask that question, mom?"

Neo-Queen Serenity turned scowling. "My I remind you that you have had the Ginzuishou all the time we have been here in the past. Even if it had loads of yin energy it cannot be affecting us anymore."

"I think that is exactly the point Wicked Lady is making," said Usagi frowning. "Purple Wiseman partly counterbalanced the Jakokusuishou's yin energy with his own yang and there is reason to suspect something similar was happening with all the yin energy you absorbed via the Ginzuishou. The problem is that counterbalancing yang energy is still there even though the Ginzuishou influence is now absence."

"Good grief," said Rei her eyes widening in realization, "yang energy is fast, aggressive, and is associated with _fire_."

"Are you saying what we are seeing with Mars could be a precursor of our future behavior?" asked a worried Neo-Queen Serenity.

Rei frowned. "Not in the same way. My personality was somewhat yang to begin with and the powers of Sailor Mars complimented that aspect. The mammoth yin energy you drained from the people of earth no doubt had the most pronounced effect on me until the energy equalized again. With that yin energy removed the yang is now in excess."

"Wonderful," groaned Purple Wiseman face palming. "And here I thought the connection between the Jakokusuishou and Ginzuishou would offset any complications we might have in cleaning up things."

"You mean I am under the influence of some form of mind control?" asked Mars.

"Not mind control but rather emotional influence," said Purple Wiseman as he pulled his face out of his hand and walked toward Mars. "Not sure this will work but we can't have you going P-chan again," he said as he touched Mars his hand glowing a deep gold.

"What are you doing?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity as Rei let Mars go.

"Adding positive emotional ki to her. Given her unliving nature it's about all I can do."

"Sure that is a good idea?" asked Ranma as Mars now glowed with the hand.

"No, but it's the only one I have at the moment," commented Purple Wiseman as he let Mars go.

Mars shook her head. "Akane, Cologne, Sa Fulang, and so many others. Looks like I owe you an apology, Ranma."

"For thinking I was a womanizing jerk?" laughed Purple Wiseman. "Given the way Pops raised me you can be excused."

"Sounds like she got a lot more than just emotion from that little trick," commented Ranma tinge of anger in his voice.

"Emotion requires context, my younger-self. Besides I wanted her to understand what she was feeling was not _hers,_ something I am not sure is true with how the Ginzuishou has been influencing everyone."

"Is it just the Ginzuishou or is it me as well, _Wiseman_?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity the bitterness still in her voice. "Your younger-self said my ki was as badly messed up as his depressional friend and the only good thing about the emotional Ki I was using is it wouldn't blast Tokyo if it got out of control. Ki is energy, right? Well energy moves from high to low or in this case from me to my friends."

Purple Wiseman again face palmed. "And of course he doesn't bother to tell you _which_ emotion is involved because other than seeing it wasn't a negative emotional he didn't have clue one."

"Oh, I've got a good idea on what the main aspect of it is because it is the same base color your aura gets when you look at Akane or Kě Lún—gold. But it is tinted differently so it is not the same kind of love."

"Kuso, I forgot just _how_ good my learning curve was over 1,000 years ago," squeaked Purple Wiseman again pulling his face out of his hand.

"You've been out of practice for a long time," commented Ranma folding his arms.

"Sadly you are right and part of it is our own darn fault," commented Purple Wiseman bitterly.

"We got to the point where there wasn't anyone even near our level," commented Ranma nodded in understanding.

"No real challenges, no real rivals," continued Purple Wiseman the bitterness still in his voice. "Few martial arts innovations due to the lack of new challenges. We fell into a routine. There were times that only Sa Fulang and the knowledge that Neo-Queen Serenity's Crystal Tokyo was doomed were the only reasons we kept on going."

"What do you mean Crystal Tokyo was _doomed_?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Do really think the _world_ was going to remain the same?" asked Purple Wiseman a familiar mocking tone in his voice as his hooded face turned toward her. "Weather patterns change, my dear Usagi, even within the context of recorded history. The Little Ice Age of the Middle Ages played total havoc with the ability to grow crops resulting in famines all over the globe including Japan. Your dreams were going to get a hard dose of reality somewhere down the road and you would have been forced to turn to the only outside help you could—us. My main concern was how many more would die before you accepted you were over your head."

"What do you mean how many _more_ would die?" asked Mars angrily.

"He means we could have asked for help in dealing with Pharaoh 90," responded Neo-Queen Serenity.

"From him?" retorted Mars gesturing to Purple Wiseman.

"Given my ego at the time asking me might have not been a good idea but I did give her a large selection of other candidates. Kě Lún immediately comes to mind," said Purple Wiseman the tone of disapproval in his voice.

"That was where we were frighteningly similar wasn't it? We thought we could handle what ever was thrown at us without outside help," continued Neo-Queen Serenity bitterly.

"There is not much difference in an overblown ego and overenthusiastic optimism in how they can blind you to the possibilities right in front of you," said Purple Wiseman sadly.

"But you two know about those flaws in your personalities and are trying to address them so that is a start, right?" asked Ranma.

Purple Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity both slowly turned to face Ranma.

"He's still a work in progress, isn't he?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Well at least this time he isn't saying something that makes you want to punch his face in."

"Perhaps it didn't come out the right way but he does have a point," said Usagi. "To fix things you have to first admit something is wrong. Taking away people's right to choose…" Usagi shook her head scowling. "When I first learned of that I felt that you and your Sailor Senshi had crossed the line from saviors to oppressors but now I understand it is not that simple and _I_ was wrong to judge you based on so little information."

Neo-Queen Serenity smiled sadly. "Looking back we did take the easy path and made a mess of things. Based on what you knew then I understand why you compared me to Queen Beryl. Not that it makes it hurt any less."

"As they said the road of Hell is paved with good intentions," said Sailor Venus sadly.

Sailor Jupiter sighed shaking her head. "Even after 1,000 years you still manage to mangle famous sayings. It is the road _to_ Hell not the road of Hell."

"In this case I'd say the variation is right," said Sailor Mars bitterly looking at Rei. "Taoism is all about balance. I of all of us should have seen the Cleansing was wrong and that it would in some way or another come back to haunt us. Somewhere along the line I forgot that to appreciate the light you _need_ the darkness." Sailor Mars gestured to Rei tears now running down her face. "My younger-self is so disgusted by what I am she thinks the only way to maintain that balance is to embrace the darkness." Sailor Mars fell to her knees sobbing.

"So much like me in my youth," said Purple Wiseman shaking his head.

"Just what do you mean by that, _Wiseman_?" snarled Jupiter.

"She hears but she does not listen nor fully understand," said Sa Fulang shaking her head.

"If you think my taking on a youma form means I have embraced the darkness you haven't learned a blasted thing," scowled Rei.

Mars stood scowling. "We both know there are Jusenkyo pools that affect the mind as well the body. Look at how easily you all have accepted your youma forms. That can't be natural."

"May I remind you that we spent a few weeks with the Black Moon Clan," retorted Rei her skin becoming redder. "We got to know people who had both human and youma in their bloodline and when Zoisite and the youma under him decided to leave Beryl we got even deeper knowledge of youma culture."

"Ok, we have put up with this nonsense long enough," said Sa Fulang stamping her foot. "Pools like Pool of Drowned Virtuous Man effect personality rather than the mind per say."

"Neo-Queen Serenity and I went over this nonsense when she came to visit Naru," said Usagi angrily. "She could not honestly that there was anything really different about my behavior."

Mars sighed closing her eyes as she rubbed her head. "Nothing really different about your behavior. You have _got_ to be kidding."

"With the additional information she had that she presented at that time I really couldn't see myself behaving differently then she had up to that point," Neo-Queen Serenity said an a cautious tone. "Given the chance to prevent needless death and promote understanding between humans and youma I could see myself taking on the kind of persona the youma expect in a leader."

"From your tone it is clear even to me that you are less than thrilled with the idea," commented Ranma.

"It was doing the same thing with regards to the Sailor Sensei and Luna's messed up memories that resulted in me going from Sailor Moon to Neo-Queen Serenity. It is already clear that Eclipse is more than just a persona my counterpart takes; she _is_ Eclipse."

Usagi frowned. "You say that like it is a _bad_ thing. You seem to think that Eclipse was persona I took to make the youma more accepting to what I was proposing; that was never the case. Eclipse was simply a name I took to confuse Beryl and prevent my family from becoming the target of any overzealous demon hunters." Usagi gestured to Zirconite. "When I first met Zirconite she had just had dinner and saw me as dessert but when she grabbed me I was in such a state that I asked if it was for her, her clan, or "that boosted bitch Queen Beryl" she then said that it was something that a youma would say. Yet at that time the only pool I had contact with was Pool of Drowned Twins."

"The response was so much like what many of us felt that it gave me pause," said Zirconite. "It became clear Usagi knew something about the culture that existed in the Dark Kingdom."

"I was angry at the way things were going and verbally lashed out. Zirconite's response made me realize that I wasn't as helpless as I could talk to her and understood some though not all of what living under Beryl had to be like. Ranma showed up and after a little talk took us to the only place he considered safe under the situation: the Neko haten Café." Usagi gave a soft chuckle. "Chronos Aeon showed up with a barrel of Pool of Drowned Youma calling Ranma 'mother' and in walking around trying to figure out just what was going on I spilled some of it on me. Later Purple Wiseman said that in the interest in saving time that the Sailor Senshi present should choose then regarding using the water. Luna protested for a little but stopped when she saw Sailor Moon nodding in agreement."

"Actually, I stopped arguing because I realized just what Sailor Moon created from the Pool of Drowned Twin really was—a soulless shell. _Everything_ that made Sailor Moon human was in Usagi," said the moon cat angrily. "By the time I snapped out of it they had all used the water. Not that it mattered. Even if I had kept my wits I don't think I would have been able to do anything."

"Speaking of doing something, I am wondering just what our Joketsuzoku eavesdroppers are going to do with all they have heard up to now," commented Purple Wiseman in a mocking tone.

Two young nearly identical looking women dropped down into the compound. "How you sense us, please?" asked one.

"My dear Pink or is Link. Never could keep you two straight. Oh well, asking me that is like asking how one can see in a well lighted room," chuckled Purple Wiseman.

"You mentioned the names Pink and Link before," frowned Ranma.

"Nice to know you have been paying attention, younger-self," commented Wiseman. "Somehow I doubt they are here for the same reason as in my timeline. Mind telling us _why_ you are here?"

"Elders send us here to check out reports Kě Lún send about youma clan being in Tokyo, please," said the other girl who then narrowed her eyes. "How you know us, please?"

"I am from what was one of your futures," said Wiseman as a ball of black ki formed in his left hand. "I will say this once and only once. My clan and the Gray Moon Clan are off limits. Try any of your poisoning antics on us and you will answer to me."

"That sound like threat, please," said one girl as both scowled and got into combat stances.

"No, it is a promise," growled Wiseman as he changed from male to female. "I am more than just the Advisor to the Black Moon Clan," continued Wiseman his now female voice harsh and cold. "I am also Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku with over thousand years of personally developed martial arts techniques. You two would have as much chance against me as a white belt against a tenth Dan."

"Pink say Purple Wiseman all talk no do, please," smirked one of the girls.

"You really want me to do something?" cackled Purple Wiseman reaching beneath his robe.

**THUNK**.

"Kuso, he dropped his vest," said Ranma in a shaky voice.

"Correction I dropped my vest, hit Pink and Link's paralysis points, and returned here," laughed Purple Wiseman.

Pink and Link's eyes widened in shock. "Can't move," said one. "Didn't see _him_ move," said the other.

"It will wear off in about 10 minutes," commented Purple Wiseman. "I did this not just as a warning to you two but to the Sailor Senshi of my time. I wanted to show them I have been treating them with kid gloves this whole time. If I had gone all out against the Sailor Senshi, they would have been dead before anyone knew what had happened."

"There would have been no way Neo-Queen Serenity would have helped you if you had destroyed us," retorted Sailor Mars.

Petz snorted. "If Wiseman was so inclined she could use the Xi Fa Xiang Gao technique with shampoo formula 411 on Neo-Queen Serenity. Sham Pu used it on Akane to make her forget she had ever met Ranma."

"There is one major flaw with that idea, Petz," said Ranma folding his arms. "It would go against Wiseman's code of honor to do something like that."

Purple Wiseman chuckled removing her hood with the hand that wasn't holding the globe of black ki. "You know us all too well. Even before full grasping just what the Cleansing did I would not have used such methods and certainly not now. However I can still use those skills to humiliate the Sailor Senshi if they continued to act like P-chan on one of his 'prepare to die' sticks."

"Speaking of Ryoga, I haven't seen him in a while," said Akane darkly.

"He's likely lost as usual but I do admit given the type of ki he uses having him wandering kama-sama knows where worries me," responded Ranma.

"He wants to best you and that will keep him from doing anything too stupid for a long while," said Purple Wiseman dismissively as he walked over to Pink and Link. "I trust you two have figured out just how over your head you are."

"Pink and Link not here to fight unless have to, only to observe. Let us move, please," pleaded one of the girls.

"Sorry, but I used a training variant of normal Shinto points. It is designed to teach the student how to use their ki to neutralize the effects on their own. As such I never developed a counter technique," commented Purple Wiseman as he removed the weapons the girls were holding and tossed them to the ground. "Consider this an embarrassing but useful lessen in challenging Wiseman."

~*~*Tomoe residence*~*~

"All this time and not one clue one how to even begin to challenge Wiseman and there now seems to be two of them," ranted Professor Tomoe.

Kaolinite nodded. The two attempts at trying to gather heart crystals after the defection of Mistress 9 had been total disasters. It was clear from the stories about Black Wiseman emerging from a black crystal doorway and shattering the body of a daimon that neither he or his Grey Moon clan were limited to any one district. The speed with which the second one was dispatched confirmed their fears that Mistress 9 had given very detailed information about the daimons. Worse if the stories about what Chronos Aeon had claimed while she slapping the second daimon around were true then they could never get all the pieces of the Moon Kingdom's Holy Grail. So they had put their pure heart gathering operation back on hold so they could try and determine if either Wiseman knew where the three artifacts of the Moon Kingdom were.

Outside our normal space-time the entity known as Pharaoh 90 was reanalyzing the information sent to it by Kaolinite. The more it studied the data the more it realized that something was seriously wrong. Kaolinite had reported that youma were going between here and something called the Phoenix Republic but this was supposed to be a prison that Queen Serenity had created as she died so why was there movement between it and some other place? Had things changed to the point where Pharaoh 90's original function was no longer needed? If so then what function did it have now? Pharaoh 90 decided to actually examine the strange energy that was going from the edge of the prison to small individual objects that moved around it and then back; perhaps it would provide information with it could form a plan of action. Pharaoh 90 noted that the energy actually had regular patterns to it. Further study showed the energy to contained sound and pictures geared to entertaining and inform the residences of the prison.

Pharaoh 90 then noticed that some of the small objects only sent information down rather than relaying it and started analyzing those energy streams. If Pharaoh 90 had been a human being it would have felt its blood go cold as the slow realization formed that it was not looking at the prison activated by Queen Serenity but the planet her home world orbited. Pharaoh 90 rechecked the data it had gathered when it had been first contacted and confirmed that only here was there any large amount of human ki with small spots of youma ki. It had been this information that had convinced Pharaoh 90 that this had been the prison but now it realized this was Earth.

Pharaoh 90 quickly shifted gears and started going through the relayed streams to determine just what had happened to the Moon Kingdom that only Earth seemed to have any kind of human or youma life; then it found a rebroadcast of Queen Eclipse's interview and went into the equivalent of shock. Several hours later Pharaoh 90 was still coming to grips with the information the youma named Queen Eclipse had provided. If even a fraction of it was true than a serious reevaluation of its original directive was in order. It was imperative that it confirmed Queen Eclipse was indeed of the Moon's Royal line. Searching through the mammoth energies used to create and activate it Pharaoh 90 found what it was looking for—the energy of Queen Serenity herself. Using that as its benchmark Pharaoh 90 then scanned Earth and got its third surprise of the day—there were two whose energy matched that of the Moon's Royal line, two that were opposite and yet complimentary to it that closely resembled the bulk of the energies used to create it and a third that seemed to have mixture of the two. Pharaoh 90 noted that its agent Mistress 9 was in close proximity to all five of these people; it was time to find out just what was going on.

~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~

Mistress 9 narrowed her eyes. "Ranma, we have a new development in this mess," she said her voice harsh and angry.

"From your tone I have a feeling we are not going to like it," said Purple Wiseman.

"In other words far off the course," commented Sailor Venus sighing.

"_Par for_ the course not far off the course." groaned Sailor Mars as she put her face in her hands.

"What is the latest disaster?" asked Nabiki smiling as she pulled out a notebook.

"Pharaoh 90 has decided to contact me directly," responded Mistress 9 scowling.

Nabiki's smile faded and she went pale. "Pharaoh 90?" she whispered.

Ranma moved toward Mistress 9 frowning. "Are you or your host in any danger?"

"I don't think so," said Mistress 9 as her scowl turned to a frown. "It seems Pharaoh 90 wants information and doesn't trust either my host's father or Kaolinite to provide it."

"What does the homicidal relic of my mother's last bit of idiocy want to know?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity bitterly.

"Quite a lot but first and foremost it wants to know how much of Queen Eclipse's statement was true."

"All of it," responded Usagi cautiously as Neo-Queen Serenity looked over at her curiously.

Mistress 9 cocked her head to the side. "It appears Pharaoh 90 is reevaluating its original directive especially in the light that it has confirmed Queen Eclipse is of the Moon Kingdom's Royal line."

"How the blazes does it know that?!" asked a shocked Sailor Mars.

"Likely Queen Serenity's Ki was part of the matrix that powers it," commented Ami. "It would be easy to compare that to Eclipse's current energy and find the similarities."

Neo-Queen Serenity gave a bitter laugh. "Great, not only does my counterpart manage to shut Beryl down with a minimal loss of life but she has managed to open up negotiations with the killer peppermint swirl thingy."

"Killer peppermint swirl thingy?" asked Ranma.

"Closest thing I could compare it to," shrugged Neo Queen Serenity.

"Negotiation is not the right word," said Mistress 9 narrowing her eyes. "Pharaoh 90 is not a person in any sense of the word. Rather it is a complex matrix of energy following a series of directives."

"That makes Pharaoh 90 more akin to a computer than an artificial intelligence," commented Ami.

"Ok, I guess a killer adding machine is a step up from killer candy though not by much," commented Neo Queen Serenity.

"A computer is far more than just an adding machine," commented Ami.

"It also means that there is no emotion behind what Pharaoh 90 does, just cold hard logic based on whatever foundation Queen Serenity created some 12,000 years ago and it is realizing that foundation is flawed," Usagi said frowning in thought.

"We need to be careful," commented Ranma.

"Agreed, I don't want to get this thing out of our hair and accidentally plunk it down on somebody else's doorstep."

"Alright, just what is with the kid gloves all of a sudden?" asked Mars.

"Rei, you _really_ need to read Sun Tzu," chastised Purple Wiseman. "'The best warfare strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, next is to attack alliances, next is to attack the army, and the worst is to attack a walled city.' Pharaoh 90 is in essence a walled city."

"That is a more appropriate statement then you realize," said Mistress 9. "According to Pharaoh 90 about double the number of diamons for Professor Tomoe to collect enough pure heart crystals to forge a doorway on his own were already sent." Mistress 9 sighed. "Thankfully he can only prepare at most 2 seeds a week but we are still talking about 100 of the blasted things."

"Purple Wiseman is right," said Usagi. "This about fighting smart not just running in throwing attacks around thinking that because we believe we are on the right side we will win. Besides Ranma and I realized that simply chucking a Death Born Revolution at Pharaoh 90 once the portal formed was a _very_ bad idea."

"And why is that?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

Usagi looked over at Ranma who sighed. "You better do this; I know I am going to word it wrong and she'll freak out," he said.

Usagi sighed and looked over at Neo-Queen Serenity. "Death ki at a very fundamental level is yin ki and we are working from the idea that the energy that powers Pharaoh 90 is whatever death ki that wasn't used to create the Dark Kingdom."

"Kuso," whispered Sailor Mars paling, "you're not saying…"

"No, we're not saying _that_," interrupted Usagi narrowing her eyes. "Neo-Queen Serenity used the Moon Kingdom's Holy Grail which from what we have been able to dig up was a yang based artifact. While energy cannot be created or destroyed it can be transformed and that seems to be what the function of the Holy Grail was—a sort of ki transformer."

"The problem is that Death Reborn Revolution is only one half of my most powerful attack," said Mistress 9 in the tone that indicated it was her host talking. "That releases the entropy aspect of yin energy stored in the glaive. The second part is when the silent glaive is brought down which triggers off a yang energy burst."

"And here I thought we couldn't hear anything worse about the Moon Kingdom," groaned Purple Wiseman face palming.

"How about explaining to those of us who aren't martial artists or miko just what the significance of that is," growled Nabiki.

"It effectively generates a self sustaining entropy wave that returns what it is aimed at to the wuji that the energies of yin and yang come from," said Ranma steepling his hands. "If powerful enough it could take you back to the wuji of the universe itself."

"Before the Big Bang," whispered Sailor Mercury paling.

"Yeh, a time where _everything_ we know simply didn't exist," said Ranma solemnly. "No energy, no matter, no physical laws, the void that was the seed for the entire universe."

"I don't get it," said Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Sailor Saturn's full attack doesn't destroy a planet by blowing it up but rather returning it to a state of wuji that can then be reshaped," said Ranma grimly. "Think of it as the ultimate reset button on a planetary scale."

~*~*Author notes*~*~

This chapter uses some information found at a little website call Dies Guadii which corrects some misconceptions of how Sailor Saturn's powers work.

For those interested the alchemic relationships are as follows:

1; Saturn; Lead; Black

2; Jupiter; Tin; Blue

3; Moon; Silver; White

4; Mercury; Mercury; Violet

5; Mars; Iron; Red

6; Venus; Copper; Green

7; Sun; Gold; Golden

John Dee's _The Hieroglyphic Monad_ (1564) is another source of alchemic information though it is not an easy read.


	16. Chap 16 Parallax

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 16 – Parallax

Esmeraude emerged from the Stargate and grinned as she noticed Beryl doing a kata.

"Going through some of the martial arts training Ranma shoved in your head I see," she said her grin turning feral.

"Who are you?"

"I am Esmeraude, part of Purple Wiseman's little group and I thought I should show you and my ancestors the innate power that all youma had that Wiseman's training awakened."

Beryl watched as Esmeraude changed into a huge green dragon with a red mane of hair.

"Youma are shape shifters," said Esmeraude her voice having a sense of power to it. "It was a matter of grasping just what that meant." Esmeraude's dragon eyes narrowed as she stepped toward Beryl. "You provided no incentive and encouraged thinking best left on the dust heap of history," hissed Esmeraude. "It is striking how much you and Neo-Queen Serenity were the same—unimaginative egotistical idiotic bumblers. The only difference was your motives and goals."

Beryl stepped back as part of what Esmeraude was saying hit her. The youma had far more potential then just energy gathers and she had squandered it. The only saving grace in the mess was that despite her fate in Purple Wiseman's time Black Wiseman thought there was something worth improving.

Esmeraude changed back into her human form as she turned toward the Stargate. "This may surprise you but there was a time when Ranma was as full of himself as you were and in his own way just as flawed. Becoming Wiseman forced him to acknowledge those flaws and became better, in both our histories. The Beryl of my history never had a chance to take a different path nor was shown that another option was even available. Our past does not have to be _your_ future."

"Despite his lesser raw power your Wiseman has surpassed ours in many respects," Esmeraude said touching the Stargate. "This Stargate is a prime example. Our Wiseman never even _conceived_ of coming up with something like this and yet with far less power and only a basic understanding of the physics involved yours has pulled it off. He even has set it up so that it has the ability to go to _other_ solar systems. We have so much to do that it will likely be generations before we can even think of such things." Esmeraude activated the Stargate. "You have such wondrous potential, Beryl; do try not to blow it," she said stepping through.

**~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~**

"You are right, Esmeraude, there is a lot to do before we can even think of going beyond our solar system," said Purple Wiseman as his granddaughter emerged from the Stargate.

"But… generations?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"It will take that long even if we could fix what you did in day," said Purple Wiseman. "I dare say it will take that long here. It is far easier to build bases or terraform the planets of this solar system then to go off to Earth like worlds in others."

"That is assuming that the forces behind this mess don't pull something else," said Chronos Aeon as she faded into view.

"Something?" asked a concerned Ranma.

"About a minute ago in real time there developed a one percent chance that a spaceship from a distant part of the universe will space fold near Earth's gravitational well by the end of this century. Unfortunately that was all I got before the ship's generator caused the Time Gate's breakers to trip."

"Caused the Time Gate's breakers to trip?" asked Nabiki narrowing her eyes. "Just how much power are we talking about here?"

Chronos Aeon sighed. "Enough _life_ ki energy to make Saturn's Death Born Revolution look like a candle flame by comparison. More troubling is that the energy that caused the space fold to come here rather than somewhere else came from _outside_ this universe."

"Whatever is left of the Moon Kingdom," said Genma scowling.

"Most definitely," responded Chronos. "There are several similar energy spikes in key points of Purple Wiseman's timeline. His encounter with 'Sailor Pluto', his discovery of the cave the Jakokusuishou was in, something similar at the Time Gates about the time Chubi-usa was born, Pendragon's discovery of Nemesis, and Small Lady's use of the Ginzuishou to come back in time. Every one of those has energy similar to the one that directed a space ship to arrive here and they clearly come from the reality the Moon Kingdom existed in. The problem they used the Time Gates in Purple Wiseman's timeline as a relay making it all but impossible to find the set of timelines that got it into its head to stick its finger in our world all the way to the freaking armpit."

"No way to tell if it was a response to anything we did?" asked Ranma.

Chronos shook her head. "The Time Gates can show the probability of a general future event happening and its most likely causes, not that any one event is caused by any one action or inaction."

"There is also the possibility that is nothing to do with what we do but something that could happen and they miscalculated in their response," said Usagi. "That is our current working theory regarding how Princess Snow Kaguya and Pharaoh 90 fit together."

"What I don't get is if the Moon Kingdom had the Time Gates how can their successors be making such miscalculations?" said Genma.

Ranma chuckled. "Like I said every so often Pops does get it right. Even if they can't see into _the_ future certainly they should have _some_ idea on the most likely result of their actions."

"The problem is that should have applied to my counterpart as well," said Chronos. "The majority of futures that have a Wiseman have him as an undead homicidal maniac but if she had been probing the future she should have seen that and taken actions to prevent it."

"Does any of the ki used by or in the Time Gates have an emotional aspect?" asked Usagi frowning in thought.

Chronos slowly turned to face Usagi. "Could that be it?" asked Chronos her face ashen.

"Would explain a lot of things," commented Purple Wiseman pulling out his Jakokusuishou and looking at it. "There is a faint almost imperceptible aura of confidence in the ki that was used to make this some 60,000 years ago," continued Purple Wiseman. "Likely because the people of Nemeses put it into a cave that few if anyone ever visited it."

"So the reinforcement of emotional ki can work on non living things?" asked Ami frowning.

"To a more limited degree yes," said Ranma. "The feelings of the people involved, how long they were there, and what happened all play a major role in the initial store of emotional ki, but such reinforcement still requires living things. A battlefield in a desolate wasteland that nothing living ever enters will quickly lose what emotional ki it picked up while a building regularly visited by people will gain emotional ki.' Ranma shifted. "I don't have the expertise to detect latent emotional ki that my future-self does but if he is having problems detecting it I would say that it is not a factor even with the insane periods of time we are talking about."

Purple Wiseman shook his head. "The problem is whatever emotional ki there was originally in this crystal was buried under the death ki of some 250 billion people and a 1,000 years of passive ki being added." Purprle Wiseman held up a hand as Usagi pulled out her compact. "If there was anything in your transformation devices it has long since been mixed with your ki. Even I could not be able to pick out which was which."

"I thought Saotome Ranma didn't give up," smirked Nabiki.

Purple Wiseman slowly turned toward Nabiki his eyes glowing red with anger ki. "I am a very different Ranma than the one you have come to know, Nabiki," said Purple Wiseman in a voice that chilled Nabiki to the core.

"'One who knows when he can fight, and when he cannot fight, will be victorious' and 'Do not swallow the enemy's bait', right Wiseman?" smirked Esmeraude.

"Exactly," growled Purple Wiseman.

"Enemy?" asked Nabiki clearly shaken.

"Only in the sense you have lost track of the fact that the material wealth you are so reckless about acquiring is only a transitory path to power," frowned Esmeraude as she raised her left hand a globe of red tinged ki in it. "_This_ is true power. Unlike your material wealth, this cannot be taken away."

"You're angry," said Ranma.

"Damn right I am angry," fumed Esmeraude dismissing the ki globe. "It is so annoying to find out one of your human ancestors is not much better than a boosted piece of food. At least you for all your flaws would have been worthy of my youma ancestors' respect once they learned your abilities were the product of hard training and not some magical device." Esmeraude then seemed to shrink into herself. "It is a painful reminder of just how shallow I was in the histories where Wiseman was an undead homicidal maniac," she whispered as the rest of the Black Moon Clan showed similar signs of being uncomfortable.

"Every so often ki of the Jakokusuishou causes my decedents to have flashes regarding the histories I saw," explained Purple Wiseman. "Those visions gave her ideas on how her dragon form should look."

"From the way you are all acting I think it was far more than just herself she saw," said Akane softly.

"Yes, far more," said Prince Demando getting very interested in the floor.

"Enough to show Neo-Queen Serenity just how botched up her little world was and just how fortunate that Ranma had been manipulated into becoming her timeline's Wiseman," said Petz her eyes cold and hard.

"What?" asked a shocked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"My dear Usagi, did you think for a moment that the idea that my becoming Wiseman was the result of manipulation did not come to me right after I found out I was the best one suited for the role?" said Purple Wiseman chuckling. "That was why I was so angry at the person I believed to be Sailor Pluto. Instead of telling me the real stakes involved she threatened my family. She used a method that even Nabs, Pops, or the Old Freak would have found distasteful."

"So all this time you suspected manipulation and didn't bother telling us, Ranma?" asked Mars glaring at Purple Wiseman.

"All I had were suspicions and theories and there were various flaws regarding my main suspect. But the people of Nemesis needed a focus for their anger so they wouldn't be spending their free time sticking pins in Neo-Queen Serenity dolls," said Purple Wiseman calmly. "Despite my misgivings and efforts, Sailor Pluto became just such a focus." Purple Wiseman pulled out the Jakokusuishou. "But now we know that the person I met could not have been Sailor Pluto."

"Why not?" asked Genma. "You're here along side what was your younger self."

Ranma laughed. "You got to love it when _Pops_ raises a good point twice in one day. You can't exclude the possibility that it was a Sailor Pluto from a different history."

"It could even be one from _his_ history," stated Genma frowning in thought.

"Ok I concede that I momentarily forgot about the possible involvement of alternate timelines but I am curious as Pops' idea that the Pluto I met could be from my timeline," said Purple Wiseman leaning forward.

"From what I have heard there is nothing that would have prevented your Sailor Pluto from traveling forward to do what she did and then return to her own time to die."

"You have to admit he has a point," said Chronos frowning. "I could see a counterpart of mine that had a feeling that she might die helping the Princess stop Pharaoh 90 checking the future to see if there were any more threats. If she was pressed for time…"

"Wait a minute," asked Neo-Queen Serenity, "how could she be pressed for time?"

"Time does not stand still at the Time Gates and if my counterpart checked only minutes before the final battle…," Chronos let the sentence hang there.

"Nasty theories and what not but I say we stay focused on the here and now," said Ranma.

"Pharaoh 90 is still evaluating its old directives in the light of the current situation," said Mistress 9. "However, father could force a portal between here and the pocket reality Pharaoh 90 exists in with as little as 75 percent of the diamons he has in storage."

"Given the way ki energy works, that alone could wreck havoc on the Earth's ki balance," said Rei frowning. "And not just in terms of a draining effect."

"Yin and yang can reinforce each other," said Ranma.

"Exactly," said Rei her frown turning to a scowl. "I don't like the fact we have to wait for Pharaoh 90 to decide to abandon its project before moving against Professor Tomoe and his creations."

"I know what you mean," said Purple Wiseman. "But it was reacting to the here and now that resulted in many of my problems."

"Speaking of _our_ problems, aren't we overdue for something to happen?" asked Ranma.

Purple Wiseman simply gave an icy chuckle while Chronos smiled a twinkle in her eyes.

Ranma wasn't sure which reaction worried him more.

**~*~***N**erima Ward*~*~**

Papillon nervously walked down the street to the Tendo dojo where Grey Moon Clan resided in the human form she had woke up in. Papillon figured that the explosion in the building that Kunzite had transported her to had given her amnesia while in human form; that would explain the memories of a human life she now had. Those memories had proved a major asset when Black Wiseman had sent a correspondence via the British Embassy asking for information on the Dark Agency.

Papillon had used the fortunate combination of her human identity being a Interpol Officer and her close friendship with the now known to be alive Sailor V to convince her superiors that she was the best one to be the liaison with Grey Moon Clan. Black Wiseman's comment about another force _other_ than the Dark Kingdom likely being behind the Dark Agency had helped speed her transfer here. She wasn't sure just what she had done as a human to produce the huge ki reserves she woke up with but she knew that her best chance for continued survival was membership in the Grey Moon Clan.

"What in the world?" asked a familiar voice. Papillon stopped dead in her tracks as she realized why the voice was familiar and slowly turned.

"Aino Minako?" Papillon asked one of the three females now in front of her as her nervousness increased.

"Katarina?" asked the girl nervously.

'Ok, she still thinks I am human,' thought Papillon her nervousness decreasing as she frowned. "Why did you let me believe you died in that warehouse explosion?"

"Because I was also in love with Alex but realized he loved you not me and didn't want to interfere because I considered you like a big sister," said Minako softly. "You don't seem surprised that I am alive."

"Black Wiseman sent a correspondence inquiring about the Dark Agency and he mentioned that he had encountered Sailor Venus known to us as Sailor V."

Minako winced as a young man wearing camouflage style pants carrying a duffle bag approached.

"I couldn't help but overhear you mention Black Wiseman," stated the young man frowning.

"Yes I did. You wouldn't happen to know him would you?" asked Papillon comfortable with the human's directness all the while noting his high life ki reserves.

"No, I don't but I was told by a person named Meioh Setsuna who identified herself as part of the Grey Moon Clan that he is critical in my quest to restore my dojo. Other than identifying herself as the clan's Guardian she wasn't much more informative than that."

Papillon smiled slightly. This was perfect. The Grey Moon Clan clearly had the intention of helping this human in the hopes of making him an ally or even perhaps part of the clan. Personally bringing him to Black Wiseman would aid her in her planned petition for membership in the Grey Moon Clan

The young man cocked his head to the side.

"Something wrong?" asked Minako.

"I'm not sure," said the young man gesturing to Papillon, "I have only seen this mixture of ki one time before and that was when talking with Meioh Setsuna."

Minako frowned her eyes narrowing. "Katarina, just when were you planning on telling me you were a youma?" she asked the anger clear in her voice.

Papillon's smile dropped as she realized that something in the conversation had revealed what she really was and given the deep red of her life ki Minako was very angry regarding the matter. Papillon considered her options and hoped that Black Wiseman had told Minako enough about youma culture to understand her reply. "When we knew each other in England I was unaware of both who and what I really was. I did not at that time know that I was Papillon of the Lepid clan. I am here for all the reasons I stated before _and_ to petition for membership in the Grey Moon Clan."

"Minako," said the older blond haired women putting her hand on Minako's shoulder frowning, "when she was with us, Pluto… I mean Chronos Aeon explained some things about youma culture. She said that very formal speech is the youma way of invoking an ancient tradition of exchanging information between clans even if they were in conflict."

Papillon cocked her head to the side. "Chronos Aeon is the name of the Grey Moon Clan's Guardian. But I noted you also called her Pluto."

The older woman closed her eyes and sighed. She then opened them again still frowning. "I am Tenoh Haruka, the reincarnation of Sailor Uranus of the Sailor Senshi," she said causing Minako to look at her, her eyes wide her mouth hanging open. "Chronos Aeon _is_ Sailor Pluto and she still wields the Time Staff," Haruka finished.

Papillon's head straightened up immediately and frowned, "So you don't think our meeting was an accident."

Haruka gave a humorless chuckle. "No. Eclipse herself stated that Pluto's duties included the closest thing the Moon Kingdom had to the youma clan position of Guardian. Hearing that and understanding just what a Guardian is explains the…_reputation_ Sailor Pluto had in the Moon Kingdom. It was said her duty was to the Sailor Senshi as a whole rather than to the Crown or the Queen."

Papillon nodded. "That _would_ fit with the role of Guardian very well. I should point out we are getting into areas that are not fit for all who may hear them."

Haruka grimly nodded. "The Tendo Dojo where Black Wiseman lives has no such problems. There is much you need to know so…" Haruka gestured.

"How much do you know of the tradition, Tenoh-san?" asked Papillon several minutes later as the group walked down the street.

"I know that it predates Beryl and perhaps the Moon Kingdom itself," said Haruka. "The protocol is that person's name and clan affiliation be presented so that the merits of the information can be determined."

"So that is why…" began Minako.

"Yes, given the…mixed company I gave the most I could to fulfill the protocol," interrupted Haruka. "Only the truth is allowed in exchanges and there are limits on what can be asked... especially with Guardians."

Papillon chuckled as their male companion frowned. "How much of what she told me was true?" he asked.

"Once she identified herself as a Guardian you can trust everything she told you past that point as true," said Haruka.

Papillon nodded. "Guardians can withhold information but what they provide _must_ be true to the best of their ability. As a general rule the freer a Guardian is with her information the more important it is to the immediate welfare of her clan."

**~*~*****Tendo Dojo*****~*~**

"You two know something don't you?" asked Nabiki.

"I know how Guardians think," commented Purple Wiseman. "There are several people I met in my first year here that you have not who would make excellent allies, clan members, and-or mates. Finding them and arraigning a more peaceful meeting would fall under a Guardian's role."

Chronos smiled as five people entered the courtyard. "This should be most interesting."

The brown haired woman in the uniform bowed to Ranma. "Black Wiseman, until recently I only knew myself as a human named Katarina who worked for Interpol. I now know that I am also Papillon of the Lepid clan lead by Aracha overseen by Shitennou Kunzite."

"PLUTO!" roared Sailor Venus she ran over and grabbed Chronos slamming her against the dojo wall. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING TURNING THE WOMAN I REGARDED AS A BIG SISTER INTO A FREAKING YOUMA?" yelled the enraged Sailor Senshi.

"What do you…," began Chronos as she grabbed Venus' wrist.

"DON'T PLAY COY WITH ME, _PLUTO_," yelled Venus slamming Chronos' head against the dojo wall. "In my world my history it was Kunzite who did it but in this world this history he has been here with Black Wiseman behaving himself. The only other person who could arrange for this to happen and would be willing to actually do is would be _you_."

"There is one big flaw in that argument that even I can see," glared Genma.

"And what flaw is that?" sneered Venus glancing at Genma, "That it doesn't provide for a nice cushy retirement built on the sweat and toil of your son?"

Genma narrowed his eyes. "If the Shitennou of the former Dark Kingdom could turn humans into youma on a whim why would they ever need to send any of their own?"

"Without Jusenkyo there is no means to turn humans into youma," said Kunzite frowning. "The only thing I can do is awaken those youma who reincarnated as humans."

"I always knew Beryl's claim of helping preserving the memories of the fallen was garbage but to find out this…," growled Turqua her eyes flashing with anger.

"Orana, what is she talking about?" asked Toro gripping Orana's hand tightly.

"Our memory crystals," hissed the youma. "Before a youma left the Dark Kingdom on a mission from which she would never return all of her memories would be duplicated into a crystal. Beryl would send Kunzite to duplicate these crystals claiming that this would ensure the memories of the fallen would last even beyond the life of the clan. To find this was her true reason…turns our stomachs."

Purple Wiseman turned to face the young man of the group who had started to open his mouth. "Kumon Ryu, I recommend holding my tongue until we get this sorted out less like my younger self Black Wiseman you say something supremely stupid that makes things more difficult then they need to be," commented Purple Wiseman his voice cold and hard.

"Hey, I am not that bad!" protested Ranma.

"My dear Saotome Ranma, I assure you at this time in our life thanks to Pops we were_ that_ bad," commented Purple Wiseman his hooded face turning to face Ranma.

"Wait a minute," reacted Kumon Ryu narrowing his eyes. "_Saotome Ranma_ is Black Wiseman?"

"Let me guess, our Guardian left out that little detail in setting up this little meeting," commented Ranma as he put a hand to his head.

"You'll eventually understand it though I will admit you will never get use to it," commented Purple Wiseman.

"Ancestor Kumon Ryu," said Calaveras sadness in her orange eyes. "In our history you lamented how much time you and Ranma lost by limiting yourselves to Genma's view on how the Umisenken and Yamasenken could be used."

"Your history? Ancestor?" asked Kumon Ryu startled.

"You should feel honored," said Purple Wiseman. "It is not everyone who gets to meet one of their own decedents from 1,000 years hence."

"Loosing focus, _Ranma_?" snapped Venus. "We have a little more important matter than your younger-self and one of his rivals playing nice together."

Purple Wiseman slowly turned his hooded face. "Yes, but not the matter you are thinking of, _Minako,_" he growled his eyes flashing red. "Less you forget I am _Wiseman_."

"In _your_ world and _your_ history," snapped Ranma stepping between Purple Wiseman and Sailor Venus, "But not here or now!" fumed Ranma. "In _this_ world in _this_ history _I_ am Wiseman," jabbing his finger into Purple Wiseman's shoulder on each emphasized word. Ranma then turned to Sailor Venus. "As for _you_ I will not have time traveling holy then thou moralistic morons surpassing Pops in terms of idiocy lashing out at our clan's Guardian for things they think she might have done."

"On that note, on your honor as our clan's Guardian did you have anything to do with Katarina's transformation?" asked Usagi frowning as she addressed Chronos Aeon.

"On my honor in this world in this history in this time I had nothing to do with her transformation," said Chronos Aeon frowning.

"That is good enough for me. Let her go, Venus," said Usagi.

"I don't take orders from parasites or vermin," growled Sailor Venus.

"WHAT IS THIS?" yelled Minako Aino.

"Until I arrived here this was your _future_, auntie," smirked Wicked Lady. "What's the matter? Don't you like what you see?"

"What _is_ she?" asked Papillon frowning. "She has no more life ki than a rock or a building. It is almost like she isn't alive."

"She is the same thing _my_ future-self is—a bigoted trigger happy undead maniac," growled Rei as a tendril grabbed an arm. "Let her go, Venus."

"WOULD _SOMEONE_ TELL ME JUST WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" yelled Kumon Ryu.

"Simple put Purple Wiseman's group and these Sailor Senshi are from one possible future," said Ranma walking toward Kumon.

"Thankfully the journey to the future is an ever forking path and they are no longer _our_ future," said Usagi.

"Like we'd want our past to be where we are a bunch of ki draining freaks like this manipulative bitch," snapped Venus.

"STOP IT!" sobbed Neo-Queen Serenity tears running down her face.

"What's the matter, don't like the truth about your so called utopia, mother?" sneered Wicked Lady.

"You may look like Minako's Sailor Venus form and even talk like her, but you are not her," scowled Papillon morphing into her youma form. "Minako is a loving caring person who improved herself beyond the powers she gained not the hate filled self adsorbed bigoted _thing_ I see in front of me," continued Papillon her butterfly like wings attached to her head and purple abdomen twitching in anger.

"What?" asked a startled Venus.

"You haven't been paying attention have you?" asked Akane. "Things have changed in this history. You can't keep reacting to people as if they are from your timeline."

"In a world without Wiseman and a Grey Moon clan, Papillon would have felt the only option open to her was to fight you and either succeed or die trying," said Kunzite pulling out a black crystal. "Despite our success with Jiji I still have reservations about using the Kurozuishou again."

"You would be correct in assessment, Kunzite," said Kě Lún. "Everything I have seen leads me to believe Beryl had no more understanding about the type of ki she was having you use then the Sailor Senshi did regarding theirs."

"Which given what we now know was about on par with Ryoga and myself regarding emotional ki. Wonderful," Ranma sighed rubbing his head.

"What are you and the Elder babbling about, Ranma?" asked Venus.

"Beryl was as ignorant of her power as we were and _are_ about ours," sighed Mars rubbing her head. "My miko training has allowed me to try and understand some of what is happening." Mars looked at Purple Wiseman her eyes narrowing. "The yin ki Neo-Queen Serenity absorbed is causing our negative emotions to come to the surface isn't it?"

"Oh, like that makes any sense," fumed Venus. "She Cleansed the world 1,000 years ago. Why would the yin ki only be affecting us now?"

"Because her optimism and certainty that was the yang that was offsetting all the yin ki she absorbed into the Ginzuishou has been destroyed and you are all away from whatever yang energy remained when she used the Holy Grail on her Pharaoh 90," said Ranma folding his arms.

"Did you know?" growled Neo-Queen Serenity glaring at Purple Wiseman.

"I thought that unlike Mu Si and Sham Pu your Sailor Senshi were use to that yin ki flowing through them and it wouldn't be a problem. When I found they weren't alive any more I figured it wouldn't matter and even if it did start affecting them we would have months before they got overly violent." Purple Wiseman signed. "I haven't messed up this bad in centuries."

"In a way it was understandable," said Ranma. "You knew how ki worked in the living and in objects and thought you could apply that to this mess."

"It could be more than that," said Usagi frowning. "We have the knowledge and experience of the Sailor Senshi as well as some of their powers. If Venus got more than the rest of us did…"

"Why do you insist on calling this _thing_ attacking your Guardian Venus?" asked Papillon her voice full of anger and annoyance. "Minako is Venus," said Papillon gesturing with a tip of her wing. "And once she understands that I wasn't trying to use her and I no longer have to take orders from that boosted bitch Beryl I firmly believe she would be honored to be my clan sister."

"You're partly right, Papillon," said Ranma calmly removing his hood. "Minako would be honored once she understands just what that means. However I think you are wrong about Minako actually being Venus." Ranma glared at the Venus from Crystal Tokyo. "Quick, what city were you born in?"

"In the city Hekate in the shadow of Eve Mons," responded Venus automatically.

"What?" asked Minako. "That is not where I was born and if you were really some future version of me you would know that. I don't even know where on Earth that even is."

Ranma sighed. "If I'm right it is _not_ on Earth. Is it, Thoth?"

"No," said Ami scowling. "It's on Venus. Alpha Region Plateau Highland to be more precise."

"What city were _you_ born, Mars?" shot Ranma pointing at Mars

"Hellas…" Mars stopped and frowned. "No, I was born here. Why did I respond with that?"

"Because that is where the Mars you are the reincarnation of was born," frowned Ranma. "You have no active ki to offset the yin ki of her last moments of life that were amplified by Neo-Queen Serenity's Cleansing. None of you aside from your Queen do. You are not just the reincarnations of the last Sailor Senshi of the Moon Kingdom anymore—you are well on the way to literally becoming them in the way you act and react to things." Ranma then scowled at Purple Wiseman. "When were going to tell her?" asked Ranma angrily.

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed. "Don't be too hard on him. I figured it out on my own but I was hoping that he might produce an alternative at the last moment."

Purple Wiseman gave a humorless chuckle. "My dear Usagi, I applaud your faith in my ability, skill, and power but I am in the end only a man. You, me, Sa Fulang, and your daughter are as far as I know immortal but that combined with the power we wield does not make us deity level kami. There are always consequences related to the power we wield. The painful fact is your friends have been _dead _for centuries and fixing this mess might require you finally letting them go."

"WHAT? Haven't you put her through enough pain, Ranma," screeched Venus letting go of Chronos, breaking Rei's hold, and grabbing Purple Wiseman in one swift move.

"Wrong move, _Groundling_," growled Sa Fulang jumping up and grabbing Venus' arm enveloping her in an aura of yellowish orange ki while breaking her hold on Purple Wiseman.

Venus then started to scream in a manner as bad as Neo-Queen Serenity had when Purple Wiseman lost it while said Purple Wiseman stood there seemingly startled by this new development.

"You _dare_ to talk to _us_ about pain," yelled Sa Fulang as Venus collapsed into a whimpering heap on the ground. "You and your fellow Sailor Senshi are undead things who never have to worry about watching their own child grow old and die before their eyes while Ranma and I have seen that happen generation after generation for 1,000 freaking years. And you have to the gall to talk to us about causing pain? YOU. DON'T. KNOW. THE. MEANING. OF. THE. WORD," screamed Sa Fulang kicking Venus in the gut on ever yelled word.

"Sa Fulang, please calm down," said Purple Wiseman in a shaky voice.

"How can I calm down, Ranma?" cried Sa Fulang tears now streaming down her face the yellowish orange ki still around her and Venus. "This bitch is acting just like I did when you and I first met. Acting like some great power makes her the decider of what is right and what is wrong." Sa Fulang fell to her knees sobbing.

Purple Wiseman picked up the sobbing Sa Fulang the yellowish orange ki enveloping him as well.

"It's alright, Sa Fulang, I'm here and as far as I know I will always be here," said Purple Wiseman as the yellowish orange ki was replaced by a golden yellow. "Husband, wife, mother, father; what ever role you need I will be there."

"Ranma, as our clan Guardian I tell you we all need to return to our own time," sobbed Sa Fulang, "This yin-yang imbalance is starting to effect us not just the Sailor Senshi. When is the last time you lost your temper like you did a few days ago? When is the last time I called someone a groundling?"

"We can work out a cover story but this latest fiasco shows you _all_ need to go home, _now_," said Usagi wincing as her counterpart knelt down to comfort the still whimpering Venus.

"I agree but we have a huge roadblock to that idea," said Purple Wiseman.

"So? Go around it," commented Genma.

"Pops, it's not that simple," said Purple Wiseman.

"Why isn't it?" asked Ranma frowning. "We have often talked about timelines being akin to paths so instead of going back to the fork on the path just cut across the countryside."

"The problem is until we are sure of how their 'Sailor Pluto' will react, using the Time Gates for actual travel is iffy at best and we just don't have the knowledge or power to use the Stargate in a similar manner," commented Chronos.

"Perhaps if I talk to her…" started Neo-Queen Serenity.

"If she was an actual person, I'd agree but we don't even know _what_ she is or what her role is," said Purple Wiseman.

"Perhaps it is the role rather than the ki that is the problem," said Akane softly. "I noticed that you two were far more at ease as Ranko and Usagi then as Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity." Akane scowled. "When is the last time any of you were yourselves rather than your Sailor Senshi identities?"

"There was no need in our time," said Jupiter frowning. "But we did think we were normal school girls for a while after the final battle with Beryl. If we could go back to that…"

"Sure, let's hit the memory reset button on the Ginzuishou again," said Wicked Lady sarcastically, "it worked so well the last time."

"Perhaps we have a less drastic option," said Ranma. "And if it works you get nice clean hair out of it as well."

"You're thinking of the Xi Fang Xiang Gao," said Kě Lún.

Ranma nodded. "Provided it can used that way and if it works at all."

"You need to try, for all our sakes," said Neo Queen Serenity.

**~*~*Phoenix Republic*~*~**

Zirconite tried to feel less nervous but it was hard in her Jusenkyo human form. "Zirconite, why did you come back here as a human?" asked Ramuabalm.

"Partly perspective and partly to get a better gage on how humans with far less skill than Black Wiseman's skill will do here." Zirconite then frowned. "Thanks to Ranma's training I know that part of the ki in my body is being pulled into the surrounding area."

Ramuabalm shook her head. "And Purple Wiseman likely missed this because the lost was so minor."

"Likely. He wears a heavy vest so he can actually train his students rather than humiliate them. Ranma likely missed it because he was dealing which his future-self pumping an insane level of anger ki into Neo-Queen Serenity."

Ramuabalm looked in the direction of Beryl's throne a frown on her face. "I do like the change in Beryl Ranma caused. She no longer sits on her throne though I don't understand her strange slow dancing."

"It may not _be_ dancing," said Zirconite moving to the throne area Ramuabalm right behind her. Zirconite stopped and watched Beryl's movements for a moment.

"If that isn't dancing when what is it?" asked Ramuabalm.

"I believe it is a kata," said Zirconite. "A method of self training used in some martial arts styles."

Ramuabalm blinked. "You mean this is a form of fighting training?"

Zirconite nodded. "Ranma explained that there are two pairs of related but different concepts in martial arts: hard vs soft and external vs internal. A hard technique meets force with counterforce while a soft technique turns the force of a opponent against them using a minimal amount of force. By contrast an external technique focuses on speed, agility, and physical strength while an internal technique is aimed at improving the spirit, mind, control of ki, and the use of leverage."

"It's part of Taijiquan," said Beryl. "It's one of the few martial arts I can do at my current level of skill," Beryl commented the bitterness clear in her voice.

"You don't sound happy about it," said Zirconite.

Beryl stopped and looked at the youma turned human. "No I am not happy about it." Beryl then looked at her throne. "I had over 10,000 years to improve myself and instead I wasted them giving orders while lounging around like some pampered pet. My sister must despise what I let myself become."

"Sister?" asked the two youma startled.

"My elder fraternal sister Morganite who took after the youma side of my family. If she hadn't been killed by an assassin she would have been Queen of Earth."

"Wait a minute. If she was assassinated then how could she feel anything about you?" asked Ramuabalm.

"She reincarnated. I saw her for the briefest of moments when I looked into Black Wiseman eyes. He even called me Crimson a pet name only my sister had ever used." Beryl gave a bitter laugh. "And before that he was the original Sailor Pluto. I wish I had known if only to have seen the expression on Queen Serenity's face." Beryl frowned. "Somewhere buried in Black Wiseman is my sister and if I learn enough to make myself respected here perhaps she will come out."

Ramuabalm winced. Many youma had felt that Beryl had been a little on the crazy side but this…well at least it was motivating her and it was less threatening to youma health then her old delusion of reclaiming a throne she hadn't sat on for 12,000 years. The youma had been tolerant of Black Wiseman's little proposal because they thought either it would fail and he would turn Beryl over to the youma of the clans to play with or what he considered training would be worse than any punishment they could come up with.

"I see you are making the most of your time, Beryl," said a calm voice behind the youma. Turning the two youma saw the figures of Black Wiseman and Akane walking toward them. "In a way so are we. Elder Cologne said it would take several hours before we know if my idea on how to help the Sailor Senshi of Purple Wiseman's era will even have a chance of working and decided our time could be better spent here."

"So you are going to actually start training her, Black Wiseman?" asked Ramuabalm.

"I wasn't one for formality so just call me Ranma," said Ranma removing his hood. "For today I thought it would be a good idea for Beryl to train with Akane so can I better judge just how much of the martial arts knowledge I gave them they can actually use."

Akane frowned at the stance Beryl was taking up; it was a variant of Ranma's own deceptively lazy defensive posture. Akane knew Beryl's emotional state was far too fragile to even try Ranma's usual tactic of antagonizing his opponent and so decided to go for the first move.

Akane blinked as she found herself on her back and chuckled. "Seems I underestimated how much you are comfortable with," she said using her foot as a lever and sending Beryl to the ground. "But then again this is not a normal sparking match. This is to find out what kyū we are in the various martial arts Ranma put into our heads."

"Ranma as in Saotome Ranma?" asked a voice. Beryl promptly paled and stared at the approaching figure.

"Jadeite?" she asked shaking. "How…?"

"How did I escape that damn crystal prison of yours?" asked the young blond haired man. "Seems I have one of Ranma's rivals to thank for my release."

Ranma chuckled. "See Akane, I told you I thought I felt some of P-chan's energy when we came here."

"I know you said his knack for getting lost resulted in him winding up in the weirdest places but still…getting here?" asked Akane.

"I have been hearing that there have been a lot of changes in the short time of my imprisonment," said Jadeite.

"Yes there has been a great deal of change," remarked Ranma a familiar smirk forming on his face. "Though I think Eclipse, Thoth, and Neith will still want words with you for trying to run them over with passenger jets even though they now understand why you tried it."

"What?" asked Jadeite. "The only ones I tried to run over with passenger jets were three of the Sailor Senshi after I had learned their real identities."

"Do tell," commented Ranma the smirk still there.

"Sailor Moon is really Tsukino Usagi," replied Jadeite a cruel smile of triumph on his face. "Sailor Mercury is Mizuno Ami and Sailor Mars is Hino Rei."

"Minor correction there, Jadeite," replied Ranma as Beryl slowly fell to her knees and quietly sobbed. "Tsukino Usagi _was_ Sailor Moon; in her youma form she is _currently_ known as Eclipse," continued Ranma as Akane comforted the quietly sobbing Beryl. "Mizuno Ami is Thoth and Hino Rei is Neith."

Jadeite frowned narrowing his eyes. "How could the Kurozuishou…"

"Who said anything about the Kurozuishou," interrupted Ranma. "They were changed by one of the pools Jusenkyo just like I was," grinned Ranma changing into his female form.

"What?" stammered Jadeite taking a step back. "You're _human_. Humans can't change like youma can. Humans are trapped in an inferior form of power or understanding."

Ranma frowned. "Oh great, you're still just like Pops was on the training trip: women are weak weepy little things that cannot possibly understand things males can."

"Exactly right," proclaimed Jadeite.

"Exactly wrong," growled Beryl standing as Akane squeezed her hands into fists as she glared Jadeite.

The cruel smirk returned. "And how exactly is it wrong, _my Queen_?" asked Jadeite the mocking tone clear in the formal address. "As I heard it you were defeated by the wisdom of a _male_ human general dead 2,500 years implemented by the head of the Grey Moon Clan the youma Queen Eclipse."

"Who was the _human_ Sailor Moon," retorted Beryl as she walked up to Jadeite.

"Yet as a human Sailor Moon was only marginally less stupid then you, _my Queen_," Jadeite responded. "It took her becoming a youma and breaking free of her inherent inferiority to defeat you."

"Really?" responded Beryl now sporting a cruel smile of her own. "Mind telling me how this inferior being managed to defeat a superior male such as yourself you time and time again?"

"Simple, all my plans depended on keeping an even more inferior being happy," retorted Jadeite now scowling. "That is why the assassin took out your fraternal twin sister; he knew she was the superior being. He knew that taking Morganite out would saddle the Earth with the limited thinking of her more human sister."

"Don't you dare soil my sister's name," snarled Beryl grabbing Jadeite by the front of his uniform.

"Soil your sister's name?" mocked Jadeite grabbing one of Beryl's wrists. "How is saying she was your superior in every way soiling her? I may not be able to kill you as the youma still need your life energy but that doesn't mean you I can't hurt you."

"Jadeite," said Ranma scowling as she put a hand on the Shitennou's shoulder. "I told you NO THREATS TO MY SISTER!" she yelled punching Jadeite in the jaw with an upper cut knocking him to the floor.

"Ranma?" asked Akane.

"Uh, what's with Ranma's ki?" asked Zirconite. "It just went yellow and now looks like a crude approximation of a youma's."

"It seems Ranma has gone neko, _I_'m in control, and I am not happy," said Ranma scowling.

"Morg!" yelled Beryl hugging Ranma.

"Don't be too happy, sister," said Morganite scowling as she pushed Beryl away. "I am not happy with your behavior either and we will have words after I remind Jadeite just why threatening my sister is a bad idea."

"You mean Beryl wasn't still crazy and you really are the reincarnation of her twin sister?" asked Ramuabalm.

"Princess Morganite?" asked Jadeite slowly standing.

"For the time being," said Morganite as she looked at her hands. "I must say this human's father is a real piece of work though his methods of training have given me some skills to compensate for the limitations of being in a human body." Morganite looked up at Jadeite. "I see you did learn something from our last little tussle though clearly not enough. Mökö Takabisha!"

Jadeite flew off his feet and landed on his butt again. "That was similar to a Sailor Senshi attack but also wasn't. Just what in the world was I hit with?" he asked.

"Ki attack," grinned Morganite. "According to my previous incarnation this is what the original Sailor Senshi used." Morganite then frowned. "Then the Queen screwed it up by developing a method by which the power could be passed on to the next generation. Right, like letting people being able to do ki attacks that make the Shishi Höködan look like a gentle slap without the training that goes into being able to _properly_ use them is a good idea. The really stupid part of the process was the Queen not only used_ all_ of her life energy but converted her body to pure energy and dumped that in at well." Morganite sighed. "The first Queen of the Moon Kingdom was long on grand crazy ideas but short on common sense or self preservation."

"Sounds like Sailor Moon only it was long on stupid speeches rather than ideas," smirked Jadeite.

"Eclipse would agree with you on _that_," winced Morganite. "She regrets many of her actions as Sailor Moon." Morganite then narrowed her eyes. "Just as you are going to regret threatening my sister."

Jadeite's smirk turned into a smile. "I am honored that after all these millennium of relative non improvement that I am still worth your time," he said firing white energy blasts from his hands.

"Happö Go-en Satsu!" replied Morganite the blasts being absorbed into the hole of the coin she was holding.

"What? How?" asked a stunned Jadeite.

"Happö Tsurisen Gaeshi!" responded Morganite causing a bolt of white energy to emerge from the coin's hole and hit Jadeite knocking him to the ground again.

"I don't understand," said Jadeite pushing himself up. "Your current body is that of a human but you are using the powers of a youma."

"Actually they are martial arts techniques that _simulate_ the powers of a youma," explained Morganite. "And those techniques allow me to simulate other powers as well. Such as the ones of another previous life."

"Oh and what powers would those be?" asked Jadeite.

"Here's a hint. Death Scream." **KABOOM**. "Oh I think I pumped a little too much ki into that one. You ok there, Jadeite?"

"Ok? I've never felt better!" exclaimed Jadeite his uniform a tattered sooted mess smoke coming out of his mouth. "The one person that could truly challenge me so that I could achieve even greater heights is back and with some improvements," finished Jadeite grinning from ear to ear.

"Not another rival," groaned Akane.

"Well not exactly rival," chuckled Morganite who then frowned as she turned to Beryl. "Now sister, we have the little matter of how you have treating mother's people."

"I did the best that I could,,," begun Beryl.

"I am not talking about the methods you used to try and get out of here!" interrupted an angry Morganite. "I am talking about the senseless stupid waste of life you engaged in the moment you found out there were Sailor Senshi involved." Morganite grabbed the front of Beryl's dress her eyes flashing with red anger ki. "You treated mother's people as if they were disposable cannon fodder for your own personal ambitions."

"Please, sis," whimpered Beryl.

"Don't 'Please, sis' me," yelled Morganite the red anger ki now surrounding her body. "You seem to have forgotten that one the roles of Queen of Earth was to protect the youma. SENDING THEM TO CERTAIN DEATH FOR YOUR OWN SELFISH NEEDS IS NOT PROTECTING THEM!" screamed Morganite.

"I know," said Beryl tears running down her face. "I accept any punishment you deem appropriate including letting the youma here use me as their plaything."

Morganite's aura vanished like a candle flame in a hurricane and she grimly nodded. "At least you have accepted the gravity of your actions but your punishment is not mine to decide."

"I take it this plaything punishment is extreme," said a worried Akane to Zirconite.

"The only punishment considered worse is being made clanless," said Zirconite softly. "One so designated stops being a person and becomes an object that only exists to serves the needs of the clan. The closest term in your society that fits is slave."

Morganite sighed and she put her hand to her head.

"Morg?" asked Beryl.

"No, _Wiseman_," said Ranma scowling. "It appears Neko ken has taken on some new and annoying aspects and I think I know the trigger—a blood family relationship with the person being threatened."

"That was a little more than a simple shift in perception, Ranma," said Akane.

"I thought there were two Wiseman, Black and Purple," said Jadeite.

"Oh currently there are but the other Wiseman has to return to where or rather that should be ''when'' he belongs," said Ranma.

"You mean that the wild story that Purple Wiseman was from a possible future is true?" asked a stunned Jadeite.

"Yes but it is becoming clearer that he and those with him must return to their time their timeline," said Ranma who then frowned. "As I said to my possible future-self in _this_ world in _this_ history _I_ am Wiseman."

"Regardless of what you call yourself the youma have a lot of respect for you," said Jadeite, "That is not something easily earned."

"Neither were my skills or power," said Ranma who grinned. "Now I believe Akane and Beryl were in the middle of finding out where they are in term of the skills that I put into their heads. While they are in that you and I will go over some of the wisdom of that human general dead 2,500 years."

**~*~*Tendo Dojo, several hours later*~*~**

Jadeite emerged from the Stargate with Ranma and Akane and looked over the building he was in. "I see my little redirection of Ryoga worked as planned," grinned Chronus Aeon in her Sailor Pluto uniform.

"Clan Guardian Chronus Aeon, I am honored," said Jadeite bowing slightly at the waist.

"Jadeite, I see Ranma has found himself another student," said a human female with light brown hair. "Looks like he has already kicked up to the dan level stuff," she said gesturing to the tattered and sooted uniform.

Jadeite frowned for a moment as he studied the life energy of the woman before him and then widened his eyes as he realized just who he was looking at. "Zoisite?"

"I trust Ranma told you of Jusenkyo," smiled Zoisite.

"He said you had used it but I had assumed…"

"That I had used the youma pool," sighed Zoisite. "Jadeite, you really need to drop that view of yours that women are inferior to men. The Elder here is a prime example of a woman who could out fight and out think most males."

"Considering his only experience for the last 12,000 years has been Beryl behaving like a boosted braindead idiot and me spouting moronic speeches every time we fought, it is understandable," said a familiar voice.

Jadeite slowly turned to face the speaker. "We meet again, Tsukino Usagi… I mean Clan head Eclipse," Jadeite said to the frowning youma now facing him. "I must apologize for my past behavior."

Usagi nodded her blue eyes cold and hard. "I now understand why you did what you did but at a personal level I still don't like it. But in the interests of my clan your apology is accepted. In the future please note that in this form the name is Eclipse."

Jadeite nodded. Usagi had clearly picked up enough knowledge of youma culture to know how a clan head was expected to behave and was acting accordingly. Jadeite turned to face a scowling dragon like youma. "Just because our clan head has accepted your apology doesn't mean we trust you any more than we did when we were Sailor Senshi."

"Neith does have a point," said Usagi. "You have a _lot_ of fence mending to do."

Jadeite again nodded a frown forming on his face. Ranma had said the conversions had happened not more than a month ago but the way they were behaving… "Any new information on who was behind the false flag operation in England?"

"No, but given what we know about Neo-Queen Serenity's past we might get the opportunity to gather some," commented Usagi gesturing to her future-self.

"Ranma…I mean Wiseman explained that you were working to on making the future Sailor Senshi less volatile so things wouldn't fall apart once they return home."

"Yes and I hope the technique actually worked," said Ranma looking at a three foot tall human female standing over a blond haired Senshi whose uniform denoted her as Venus. "Elder Cologne?"

"It worked as well as expected given their nature," said Cologne. "The memory blocks regarding their lives as Sailor Senshi will slowly decay and they will eventually remember everything."

"What are we looking at in terms of time?" asked a man who looked like a slightly older version of Ranma.

"Several weeks to a month."

"Won't seeing Pendragon here drastically reduce that, Elder?" asked Usagi gesturing to Jadeite.

"What?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

The older Ranma chuckled. "I see you figured it out, Eclipse."

"When you first met me you only mentioned the real identities of myself, Mars, and Mercury which King Pendragon stated was the only piece of information he had you didn't. In a flash of intuition I realized that King Pendragon and Jadeite were the same person and that at one time you and he had been planning on a mind game attack on Neo-Queen Serenity."

The older Ranma smirked. "Got it in one. It never went anywhere because we wanted to keep the old gateway between the Dark Kingdom and Earth in reserve." The smirk disappeared as the older Ranma continued. "Neither Pendragon nor I were going to repeat Beryl's mistakes and the life energy needed to move in and out of Avalon made it impractical to send anything larger then a squad to Earth."

"Well the Dark Kingdom has been replaced by the Phoenix Republic so there won't be a _King_ Pendragon in this world's future," said the younger Ranma.

"True but you know from my past that he has the potential to become a great leader."

"In due time but now I have much to learn," said Jadeite.

"As do we," said Usagi. "Having the future Sailor Senshi take our places at school will allow us to learn more about youma culture and society."

"Hold on there, Eclipse," said Rei. "While I agree that we need to learn more about youma culture and society we can't just skip school for several weeks to a month."

"Sure you can," said the older Ranma reaching into his purple rope and pulling out a crystal that he tossed to Rei.

"And just how is one of your energy crystals going to help us?" asked Rei.

"What's the other IUPAC name for water?"

"Oxidane, but what does that…," Rei stopped and blinked. "How did I know that?"

"The crystal!" exclaimed Usagi. "It's not an energy crystal but a variant of a memory crystal."

"Actually, it seems to behaving like a teaching crystal," said Jadeite. "They were originally designed to provide a youma with all the basic information needed to succeed and strive in their respective clan."

"They still serve that function," commented the elder Ranma, "all that has changed is the knowledge they provide."

"Nice idea but there is one major problem," said the younger Ranma.

"And what is that?"

"What is important to 30th century Nemesis is not the same as what is important to 20th century Tokyo," signed Usagi shaking her head.

"Oh, kind of forgot that."

Rei started rubbing her head and grumbling. "So I have a mishmash of useful and useless information in my skull. Are you _trying_ to get me mad so I try to pound you or something?"

"I doubt it," said the younger Ranma who was now frowning. "He is trying to recapture my spontaneity but is having problems." Ranma sighed. "Speaking of problems I found out from Jadeite that all youma are like me in that they can fully change between male and female with a default birth form."

"The term we use in our time is transformal hermaphrodite," smiled the older Ranma changing into a stunning red head.

"That means the mother of one child can be the father of the next," said Usagi blushing.

"It explains why my future self doesn't have problems with things that make me nervous," said the younger Ranma wincing.

"You don't seem to be nervous regarding the Sailor Senshi that haven't joined your clan," said Jadeite as he examined the Stargate.

"The Stargate is powered by _passive_ ki energy rather than active ki energy," smiled Usagi. "It doesn't cause those around it to become tired to the point they collapse."

"WHAT?" screeched Neo-Queen Serenity. "Are you telling me this thing has been draining ki like one of Jadeite's little objects?"

"In manner of speaking yes," said Usagi frowning as Neo-Queen Serenity stepped back in horror. "Oh don't look at me like that. This does it over a over a much wider area and in a manner that does not do the equivalent of sticking up a neon sign attracting every would be demon hunter in the area. Also unlike Jadeite's little toys it can also absorb death ki."

"How can you…"

"GROW UP!" yelled Usagi her skin taking on a reddish hue. "The first law of thermodynamics says that energy cannot be created or destroyed so where are the _ki based_ Sailor Senshi powers coming from?"

"Jadeite, what does your knowledge of ki draining items make of this?" asked a blue skinned youma sitting at a table filled with books as she tossed him an object.

Jadeite frowned as he studied the strange little stick in his hand as Neo-Queen Serenity paled. "A passive energy drainer like the Stargate with some form of energy transfer capabilities activated by several password phrases." Jadeite gave a humorless chuckle. "Between this and the Stargate no wonder you called my items toys."

"To be fair the Stargate is our own but that henshin stick is a relic…from the Moon Kingdom."

Jadeite glanced up at the youma. "Should I address you as Ami, Thoth, or Mercury?"

"In this form Thoth will suffice," said Ami. "I take it the books were a give away."

"Something like that," said Jadeite tossing the henshin stick back to Ami.

"You are going to trust him?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"He merely confirmed what we already suspected," said Ami glaring at Neo-Queen Serenity. "He has a long way to go before we even _begin_ to trust him."

"They don't even trust my own sister Nabiki," said Akane

"With good reason," said Ami pulling out some photos.

The younger Ramna frowned as he picked up the photos and leafed through them. "I see she has broadened her subject matter." Ranma's expression turned to shock as he got halfway through the pile. "I know the dojo has some financial issues thanks to my earlier exploits but this… Has her greed made her even dumber then Pops at his worse?"

"Ranma, what are you talking about?" asked Akane as she grabbed the picture and looked at it. "What the…?"

"Seems there is a camera hidden in the bathroom and your sister doesn't care about the age of her subjects," commented Ranma as he winced.

Usagi reached over and took the photo from Akane's hand and looked at it. "Akane," begun Usagi in a sickly sweet voice her eyes never leaving the photo, "Please remind your sister just because we spend most of our time in our youma forms does not mean we have not lost our human modesty. Just because she is useful to the clan does not mean the clan will tolerate her implementing every hairbrained yen making idea that pops into her head. She is very close to being a clan plaything for a week if she continues on this path."

Akane nodded paling. "I'll tell her right now," Akane said grabbing the photo as she left.

**~*~*Tendo Household*~*~**

Nabiki looked up as her door opened revealing a very pissed Akane.

"Sis, have you lost what little common sense you had?" her sister asked slapping the photo on her desk.

Nabiki looked down at the photo and smiled. "Not at all. Do you know how much Usagi totally nude fetches at school?"

"I don't believe I am hearing this!" exclaimed Akane. "Have you totally lost your mind? Usagi is only 14 years old!"

Nabiki chuckled. "Usagi is a 14 year old who spends most of her time in youma form. She likes to experiment with her shape shifting powers before leaving the bathroom. She was seeing how close she could get to her actual human form when I took that one." Nabiki's smile took on a chillingly nasty aspect. "Child porn laws only apply to _humans_ and when I took that picture Usagi was not human."

"It's not the authorities you need to worry about, sis," retorted Akane. "Usagi was talking about making you a youma plaything for a week if you don't stop."

"And just what is a youma plaything?"

"It's a type of slave," responded Akane in an icy voice that frightened Nabiki. "The only worst punishment by youma standards is being thrown out of the clan."

"I'd listen to her, ancestor," said Esmeraude standing in the doorway her arms folded. "For you it would a particularly harsh punishment as a youma plaything is no longer a person but a useful _object_."

"Usagi and Ranma realize that they wield far more power then just their clan roles and are walking a razor's edge between strength and compassion," Esmeraude continued morphing into a human sized green dragon with a red mane of hair. "Do you like this form? I used the full sized version to scare some sense into Beryl."

Nabiki gulped as she realized just what kind of power the youma really had. "But you are my own descendent."

"Don't think being my ancestor gives you _any_ privilege," retorted Esmeraude her voice a hiss as she walked up to Nabiki.

Nabiki trembled at the look of suppressed lust in Esmeraude's eyes. "In fact I'm almost hoping you are silly enough to continue this. There is something exciting about being able to control another person against their will."

"To be able to use them in any non damaging way you see fit," continued Esmeraude the finger of one of her clawed hands circling Nabiki's breast.

"Oh my," said the voice of Kasumi from the doorway.

Esmeraude turned. "Hello Kasumi. Do you like what you see?"

"Esmeraude-san this is most improper…" began Kasumi.

"So is taking pictures of your guests in their birthday suits and selling them to any human male with some yen in their pocket," countered Esmeraude holding up a photo. "My clan may not mind but Usagi's most certainly does."

Kasumi now frowned as she looked at the photo. "You do have a point, Esmeraude-san, but I am sure I can handle it."

"Based on how Akane's temper problem was 'handled' in our past I think you overestimate your abilities," responded Esmeraude who seemed to shrink into herself. "Kasumi, with all due respect you have many of the same problems our Usagi had—an idealized view of the world. The painful truth is you cannot protect everyone here. It's a miracle Nabiki hasn't blackmailed the wrong person and paid the price; the longer she engages in this behavior the longer the odds that nothing bad will result."

Esmeraude changed into her human form. "Nabiki, knowing Ranma the way I do he views your skills as important to implementing chapter 13 of Sun Tzu but doing this only hampers any plans he has to going through with it. Tell me ancestor, which do you prefer: the head of a penny ante operation or the head of the Phoenix Republic's equivalent of the CIA?"

Esmeraude then tapped Nabiki's nose grinning in manner that shook her to her core. "Or do you have a secret desire to be controlled." Esmeraude then left the room, walked down the hallway, and then down the stairs. She then turned north and exited the house and sighed leaning against one of the supports to the covered walkway to the dojo.

"Has she has developed some degree of sense so I can stop putting Chapter 13 in the do later pile?" asked a very annoyed Ranma his black robe making him seem all the more forbidding.

"I think she is going in a more desirable direction," Esmeraude then narrowed her eyes. "The question I have is do either of you know what you are threatening her with."

"The _total_ removal of her status as a person," responded Ranma. "Harsh, but it is far better than the alternatives of her being beat up, raped, and-or murdered in some dingy back alley or spending years in some prison."

"She might disagree given that some youma liked to use playthings to relieve any itches they had."

"Youma like Morga were perfectly able to kill as well," retorted Ranma.

"And here I was afraid you two were so focused on the goal you were missing the details. Just be careful, I don't think my ancestor fully understands the roles of Advisor, Guardian, and Clan Head."

"I'm not sure _we_ fully understand the roles other then the fact there are limits to our authority and influence." Ranma sighed. "If Beryl did do one thing right, it was she encouraged the youma in the skills of infiltration but those skills lack focus. It is the equivalent of a bunch of first Dan having nothing but a training manual to go from." Ranma then paused. "I believe you have something ask, Jadeite."

"Is this female human that good?" asked the Shitennou approaching.

"She has a skill for sorting through information and determining what is valuable and what is worthless," said Ranma calmly still looking at Esmeraude. "The Phoenix Republic needs someone with that type of skill who has a vested interest in its success and continued well being." Ranma then looked at Jadeite. "However thanks to resent developments we now have someone experienced in setting up and carrying out stealthy operations. Thoth should be able to give you the needed assistance in making the youma under your command as good at gathering information as they were in gathering energy."

Jadeite smiled. "Thank you for your confidence in my abilities, Wiseman."

"What is this? I thought you said didn't trust him," said the angry voice of Neo-Queen Serenity.

Ranma smirked as Jadeite turned to face the Queen of Crystal Tokyo standing behind him. "I would make use of Elder Cologne's knowledge and skills even when I didn't full trust her motives. If you think this is _any_ different then you are more naive then Purple Wiseman portrayed you as."

"First me then Jadeite," said Mistress 9. "Is there anyone you fought against in your timeline you don't have an instant hostility reaction to?"

"Do you know what this discussion is about?" Neo-Queen Serenity asked angrily as she turned and stopped as she realized she was addressing not just Mistress 9 but her younger-self as well.

Usagi narrowed her eyes. "I can hazard a guess. Based on what we told him, Ranma has likely offered Jadeite the opportunity to put his skills to a more constructive use."

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed and starting rubbing her head. "What am I missing?"

"Sun Tzu most likely," replied Jadeite.

Usagi nodded. "'Killing the enemy is a matter of arousing anger in men; taking the enemy's wealth is a matter of reward. Therefore, in chariot battles, reward the first to capture at least ten chariots. Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.' I think Jadeite understands the nuances of that section but do you?"

Neo-Queen Serenity continued to rub her head. "By having Jadeite under the Phoenix Republic's banner you don't have him as an enemy."

"See, it wasn't that hard to figure out was it?" asked Usagi.

"No, but it does make my head hurt," grumbled Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Your brain is just acting like an unused muscle; the more you use it the less it will hurt," commented Ranma.

Neo-Queen Serenity shot Ranma an icy glare. "Thank you for that wonderful piece of wisdom, _Wiseman_," she said sarcastically as she turned and walked into the yard. Esmeraude just shook her head as she looked into the sky and finally turned to follow Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Ranma, that was totally without tack…and she deserved every word," snickered Usagi who then shook her head. "It is frightening to know without your future-self's arrival that I would have likely turned into _that_. Yuck."

"Right now she is my alternate future-self's problem not ours," said Ranma. "I think a little walk through the neighborhood is in order."

After the foursome walked down the sidewalk for a while Ranma spoke again. "I've been thinking on our theory regarding the birth of the Dark Kingdom," began Ranma.

"It's got problems," finished Usagi. "An extra dimensional prison with several crops designed to flourish in it and a guardian to prevent escape. That takes planning."

"Right," said Ranma. "I was looking through my memories as the original Sailor Pluto to see if my death was natural…as I suspected it wasn't. Queen Hecate and I killed each other."

"Queen Hecate was a real person?" asked Jadeite in shock. "But I thought she was nothing more than a bogeyman to frighten children into proper behavior."

"She was very real and a very nasty piece of work." said Ranma. "She hadn't been on the throne even an Earth year before she told me that on her own she created a prison for her enemies. I pointed out that the friends and family of the prisoners would likely try to rescue them. She said 'Yes, but to do that they would first have to find the prison and it isn't anywhere to find and the same goes for its guard.' She then threatened me with imprisonment in her new prison reasoning that since I was challenging her wishes I was an enemy. I realized then that she would destroy the kingdom if she remained on the throne."

"So you acted to remove her regardless of the personal cost…just like a Guardian would," said Jadeite.

"My memories of my time as Princess Serenity are still vague but I felt a chill when I heard that name," said Usagi.

"With good reason," said Jadeite shuttering. "The stories regarding Queen Hecate portray her as sadistic, cruel, and malicious. Misbehave and the Queen of Pain may come to make you her personal plaything and then you will find why she is also called the Nightmare Queen."

"Sounds like something based on poor Bauxite, a youma Hectate had captured and turned into her personal plaything," said Ranma wincing at the memory. "In any case I think the Dark Kingdom was Queen Hecate's prison and Phoenix 90 was the guard. But if I am right that raises some nasty issues."

"How were they maintained in the millennia between Hecate and Serenity," said Jadeite who then narrowed his eyes. "The same way the Sailor Senshi are currently powered."

"The entire Moon Kingdom was based on hypocrisy—the Sailor Senshi were more parasitical then the youma could have ever been," said Usagi angrily. "It would have been simplicity to divert some of the ki energy being drained from the subjects form Senshi energy production to create and maintain a prison and guard." Usagi then frowned. "We practically told her this."

"True but she knows that with the help of my future-self and his clan she can fix things. It may take a long time but it can be fixed. We have a harder path-making sure things don't get broken in the first place."

"We also have to address the question neither she nor your future-self wants to even acknowledge," said Usgai.

"Why were the Sailor Senshi created in the first place," said Mistress 9.

"That's easy-control," said Jadeite.

Usagi shook her head. "You could do that with just Pluto and Saturn. No there had to be more to the Sailor Senshi then just control of the locals."

"Fear of attack from outside the solar system? But from whom?" asked Jadeite.

"Sailor Senshi from another solar system…or another reality," responded Ranma. "The first Queen reasoned if she could come up with the idea of something like the Sailor Senshi someone else could and that made making them a reality imperative."

"It does make a kind of sense…in a somewhat paranoid way," said Usagi frowning. "I've noticed you haven't given us the name of the queen who created the Sailor Senshi."

"Because it was so long ago in my life as Sailor Pluto I don't remember but I can't help shake the felling that I have heard her name several times in _this_ life." Ranma then stopped dead in his tracks, pulled out the Jakokusuishou, and stared at it. "Kami-sama in heaven," he whispered.

"Ranma, what is it?" asked a worried Usagi.

"The Jakokusuishou was able to help me recall the name and we have a big problem."

"I can think of only one name that could have produced that reaction," said Usagi paling.

"Metallia," Jadeite whispered.

"Given what she did, Queen Metallia and the Metallia that Beryl is now host to could very well be the same being."

~*~*RS*~*~


	17. Chap 17 Dark Reflections

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 17 – Dark Reflections

Hotaru shook her head as she passed the now unconscious Principal Kuno.

"Is your father going to keep trying to cut our hair?" Hotaru asked Tatewaki Kuno.

"Sadly fair maiden, once my father sets on a goal there is little that with cause him to abandon it," said Kuno.

"Wonderful," sighed Hotaru as she changed back into her normal form. "In our adult form our hair can be any length we want but in this form it has to grow normally."

"You are not the only ones that are the target of the hair cutting loon," grumbled Usagi. "Had to drain him into unconscious the first time we met."

"He's going to come after me next isn't he?" asked Rei frowning.

Kuno sighed. "Eventually, yes he will."

"You have permission to drain him into unconsciousness if you need to," commented Usagi.

"I guess Thoth and I are relatively immune from the nutter," said Makoto gesturing to their two hair styles. "But how does he get away with this?"

"The Kuno family has a strong samurai heritage and lots of money," said Kuno wincing as he said it.

"Either of which alone could provide influence but together they nearly guarantee it," sighed Usagi. "Still something needs to be done before his actions get someone hurt."

"We have to be careful how we deal with him," commented Makoto. "I tried to solve problems with student bullies on my own and got thrown out for my troubles."

"You needn't worry about that as in my father's mind that would be admitting he couldn't handle it himself," said Kuno who then frowned and then sighed. "Akane, Ranma, I must apologize for my previous behavior. I did not consider your feelings and treated you both like playthings rather then with the respect you deserved."

Akane stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Kuno narrowing her eyes. "If I hadn't gained Ranma's ability to see ki I think I would be asking who you really were and where was the real Kuno right about now."

"I guess I deserve that reaction but after seeing the future Ranma prevented me from having I feel like a blind man who has suddenly has been given the gift of sight."

"I had a similar feeling when I read Sun Tzu's _Art of War_," said Ranma.

"Speaking of your inspiration I think I have an idea on where to put Jadeite's talents to good use," said Usagi. "London, England."

"Have him see if there is anything left of the false flag operation," commented Ranma. "It will give him and the youma under him the opportunity to work in the open and so get some idea on what they need to learn."

**~*~*British Embassy, Chiyoda ward; several hours later*~*~**

"Shitennou Jadeite, Officer Katarina, please sit down," said Moran Wilson.

"Thank you, Mr. Wilson."

"My secretary said you had been asked to help my country in determining if it is still in danger from something called the Dark Agency."

"That is correct, Mr. Wilson," said Jadeite. "We believe that the Dark Agency was a false flag operation to determine how the conflict between the Sailor Senshi and the Dark Kingdom would progress. Our concern is that we know next to nothing about who was behind it or even if has actually ended."

"I see. You also identified yourself as a field operative of Chapter 13."

"It's the Phoenix Republic's equivalent of the United States' CIA or your own MI6." Jadeite leaned back in his chair steepling his hands. "My duty under the old Dark Kingdom was to set up and oversee covert operations to drain ki energy from humans without their knowledge. The operations always ended in spectacular disaster because Beryl wanted results yesterday and we attracted a lot of attention as a result. Eventually Beryl got tired of my failures and imprisoned me in crystal. I was just recently released as it was felt my skills were needed in setting up an intelligence agency. It was felt that our first step should be a positive one especially as this Dark Agency was passing itself off as part of the Dark Kingdom. I am also to see if there are any more remnants of the Dark Kingdom's old endeavors still floating around."

"Any _more_ remnants?" asked Wilson narrowing his eyes.

Jadeite sighed. "Back in the days of the Dark Kingdom youma were sent to Earth to gather energy. Some of these youma would create human identities for themselves so to get into positions where they would be able to gather lots of human ki and so add to the prestige of a clan they would in all odds never see again."

"That's why I am here," said Katarina softly. Wilson's jaw dropped open as Katarina's head sprouted two orange wings and two black domes. "I am really Papillon of the Lepid clan."

Wilson scowled. "What happened to the real Katarina?"

"I don't think there ever was a real Katarina," said Jadeite his hands still steepled together. "Morga reminded everyone why taking on the identity of an already existing human was a majorly bad idea-it was nearly impossible to avoid discovery. Small wonder the whole thing fell apart within a day. Projects where entire pasts were created such as with the Midnight Zero radio show were far more lucrative in terms of ki collection."

"This is a little more than creating fake identities for a radio show," retorted Wilson.

"For something like this a object with a low level hypnotic field was sent with the youma to allow them to create the impression that they had always been part of the community they had selected allowing them to build up an identity that would withstand all but the most detailed examination," explained Jadeite. "Derella used such an object in the Cinderella Caravan talent competition to make the contestants believe they were performing to a packed crowd when in fact there wasn't anyone there but themselves." Jadeite leaned forward. "From what we have learned from Papillon and Sailor V this Dark Agency was likely employing similar methods. That is why I decided it was worth revealing who Katarina really was so you would fully grasp just what type of danger your country could be in."

Wilson nodded. "I fully understand your concern and commend your candor but you must appreciate the situation your revelation regarding Katarina has put us in."

"Oh, I appreciate the situation better than you realize," said Jadeite. "The remnants of the Dark Kingdom can be easily addressed as those youma were interested in _energy_ not information. It's the youma the Dark Agency was using that worry me. The working plan the Gray Moon Clan has is that some remnant of the Moon Kingdom was behind the Dark Agency."

Wilson paled and Jadeite nodded his face grim.

"I think once I relay the full implications of this you will receive a reasonable amount of support," said Wilson.

**~*~*London, England; Next day*~*~**

"Five _minutes_ from Tokyo to London?" asked the head of MI6.

"Yes sir," said the agent. "Shitennou Jadeite and Officer Katarina quite literally appeared in front of customs at Heathrow."

"I thought you needed one of Black Wiseman's Stargates to do that."

"It seems to do with the nature of the Phoenix Republic itself; because it exists in a pocket reality distances in our universe don't matter."

"As if the knowledge of Black Wiseman's Stargates wasn't giving the Home Office enough headaches."

"Speaking of headaches, Shitennou Jadeite said since he was here establishing a Stargate made sense and wanted to know where you wanted it."

"Where I wanted… Never mind. Tell him there are several logistic matters that have to be considered before we give him a firm location."

"I think Shitennou Jadeite will be happy to hear that, Sir," said the agent. "His biggest complaint regarding Beryl was that she wanted things done yesterday and as a result operations and projects were often slipshod resulting in their quick exposure."

"The Dark Agency was anything but slipshod. It was a well designed well executed operation that operated on an international level. Jadeite has been very open with what he is finding but I still want an eye kept on him, Jones."

Several hours later Agent Jones was with Jadeite and Katarina in their hotel room sifting through documents. "Seems to be a continuation of the same pattern we have been seeing," said Katarina pointing to a document.

"Yes, another idol without a real past," said Jadeite frowning. "I am beginning to wonder if _any_ of them had a real history. The Dark Agency certainly had a better grasp of human culture then I did under Beryl."

"Enough of a grasp to use professions where people rarely use their birth names but not enough to avoid detection by Interpol."

Jadeite rubbed his chin in thought. "Unless that too was part of the dry run section of this little false flag operation."

"Seeing how fast the authorities would catch on to something being wrong," said Katarina frowning. "They seemed to have overestimated Beryl's impatience."

"True and overestimated her desire for control. My items could allow limited mind control but that was never desirable as it was too obvious the human was being controlled and at best control only lasted a few minutes. This Dark Agency seems to have developed a far more subtler and longer lasting version."

Jones pulled out a CD and sat it down on the table. "The Dark Guys, Twins Dark, and Dark Princess Shizuka seemed to be able to control people through their CDs…until Sailor V defeated them. We've tested them and found subliminal messages but they don't seem to have the effect we previously noted."

Jadeite picked up the CD and scowled. "There is residual Death Ki energy in this." Jadeite gestured with the CD in his hand as he continued. "This is a variant of what I had Kyurene try to do at Jam Records. The tape I created was destroyed before it was played so I don't know if my version actually worked. This version takes that idea one step further. The death ki drains the user's energy to the point the subliminal messages can work. However this has the same limitation as my objects-being linked to the youma connected to it. Get out of range of or kill the youma involved and the energy link is broken and cannot be reestablished."

"So they can't use these CDs to control people but could make more that could," said Jones frowning.

"Yes and if they have anything like the power I wielded under Beryl they could very dangerous. After all that power allowed me to try and run three of the Sailor Senshi down with a pair of jumbo jets."

Agent Jones nodded even as his anxiety level climbed. A year ago he would have dismissed Jadeite's statement as the ravings of a total madman but recent events forced him to take everything Jadeite told him seriously. The frightening thing was it was becoming clearer that the only reason Queen Beryl had not conquered good hunks of the world had been she had been a total idiot in terms of military strategy.

Jadeite sat the CD down and looked Jones in the eyes. "Agent Jones, before I came here Thoth told me of a new disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, that sounds very much like low level ki drain. This new revelation has moved up my plans to examine this disease. Are there any nearby examples I can see?"

**~*~*Tokyo, Japan; several days later*~*~**

"I don't know if I should feel worried or relieved regarding Jadeite's report," said Usagi.

"I have to admit I don't know either," replied Ranma. "So far no evidence of it being caused by death ki but even the medical orb of the Black Moon clan is at a lost at figuring out what is causing it. The fact Jadeite _did_ find evidence of humans being directly drained after Sailor V left England is troubling."

"Eclipse, would you like to share my bath?" asked Turqua.

"Sure, it will give us some time to talk."

Several minutes later in the bathroom Usagi settled into the warm water turning human.

"I don't think I will ever get use to that," said Turqua.

"I don't think I will either," admitted Usagi. "Changing like this throws off my ki."

"You prefer being youma don't you?"

Usagi winced. "Yes and it is in part because I am afraid…of _her_."

"Neo-Queen Serenity."

Usagi shook her head. "No. Sailor Moon. She prattled about love and justice but never took the time to even consider youma were living thinking beings. To her they were simply a threat to be _disposed_ of."

Turqua now winced. "That is the past. You are not Sailor Moon anymore even if you can now change into her and have her powers. Regardless of you calling yourself Usagi or Eclipse you are the clan head of the Grey Moon Clan."

"Even when I am like this?" asked Usagi gesturing to herself.

Turqua chuckled. "Even when you are human. You have grown beyond what you were when you were Sailor Moon." Turqua then frowned. "That middle Tendo sister, Nabiki, she likes pushing the limits."

Usagi nodded as she frowned. "She doesn't understand the fire she plays with. She has been lucky with her fellow humans but that luck will not last and her actions could get her seriously hurt or even killed. She has skills the Phoenix Republic needs but not the wisdom on how and when to use those skills. We need to make sure she survives long enough to gain that wisdom."

"Hence your somewhat polite warning."

Usagi again nodded. "To use martial arts terminology she is a mudansha who thinks she is yūdansha. She needs to realize that." Usagi paused for a moment. "Just I realize that you didn't want me to share your bath just to talk about these matters but something personal."

Turqua nervously nodded. "It is not uncommon for strong clan heads to have more than one mate at the same time and I was hoping that you might consider me as one of those mates."

Usagi's eyes widened and she blushed. "I am flattered but I think I am still too young to be making that type of decision especially in the light that the next two years could prove to be total chaos."

Turqua frowned cocking her head to one side and then straightened it up as her eyes widened and she blushed. "I agree that it is too early to think about offspring but you need to remember that as a youma you have _total_ control over body, inside as well as outside."

Usagi blinked. "You mean when I am in my cold water form I can control when I ovulate?"

Turqua grinned as a tentacle formed from her side. "Exactly and you can form appendages like this to bring any mate pleasure without creating any undesired offspring."

Usagi's blush got even deeper as she recalled Purple Wiseman's comment about youma being transformal hermaphrodites. Despite their default forms _any_ youma could fully be male or female and it looks like they could throw in a few other things in the mix as well. Usagi considered her response carefully as she still didn't fully understand youma culture and didn't want to undermine what was a very delicate alliance.

"Right now things are very complicated as I think some aspects of Princess Serenity's memories are influencing my reactions and relationships," said Usagi carefully. "For instance I am concerned that my attraction for Tuxedo Mask has more to do with who he was 12,000 years ago then who he is now. I effectively abandoned a long time friend in favor of new friends who were reincarnations of the Sailor Senshi." Usagi then frowned. "I want to make sure that _any_ intimate relationship I have is my own desire and not that of a princess long dead."

Turqua frowned narrowing her eyes. "I think we may have different culture views on what 'intimate' means and are actually talking pass each other."

Usagi sighed. "I was afraid of that. You have to remember that as good a clan head you think I am I actually have only the vaguest idea of what youma culture was like under Beryl."

Turqua smiled but the expression didn't reach her eyes. "Youma culture under Beryl was a mockery of what it had been before the Dark Kingdom because since she could interfere with our ability to absorb ki that meant she could interfere with our ability to _exchange_ ki. We lived in constant fear that she would extend her power into _that_ part of our lives." Turqua's expression then turned into what could best described as hate. "Every youma lived in fear that if they angered Beryl enough she would cut them off totally. To never again be able to feel the ki of your clan, family, or mate or to pass on that ki to your clan memory crystal so you would be remembered. That is the real reason we followed Beryl."

Turqua smiled again but this time it was full of malice. "Now thanks to you Beryl knows what we went through. She lives in constant fear of what nature your punishment will take and from what I have heard she is _very_ imaginative. It doesn't matter if you hold your hand for years or even centuries because every day Beryl will know how we felt. For that I want to give you physical pleasure and later if you want the intimacy of a full ki exchange," said Turqua as she leaned forward the tentacle wrapping itself around Usagi's waist.

Usagi chuckled a little. "There was a time when I would have been terrified to be in this situation but I am a little wiser now. Wise enough to appreciate your gift but also realizing you are forgetting that I was born human and raised with Japanese values. In this culture what you are suggesting is considered as intimate as a full ki exchange is in yours."

Turqua's eyes widened in shock and the tentacle withdrew back into her body with lightning speed. "I'm sorry; I didn't know."

"No, but you are willing to learn just as I am," said Usagi smiling.

Turqua smiled. "Thank you for your understanding and confidence. I must apologize for not taking your different upbringing into consideration in making my proposal."

Usagi smiled standing up and extended an open hand. "No harm done. Now, we better get out of here so the others can use the furo if they want."

In the Tendo yard Neo-Queen Serenity fidgeted.

"Could you stop that?" asked an annoyed Purple Wiseman.

"It's just…"

"She is the clan head of the clan that killed your friends," finished Purple Wiseman. "We have been over this before. That was _our_ history not this one. Turqua has no reason to want to hurt your counterpart. In fact, if I read her body language correctly Turqua is likely going to ask Usagi if she wants to be her mate."

Neo-Queen Serenity blinked her eyes and stuck a pinkie in one of her ears and wiggled it around. "I think I must have misheard…"

"You misheard nothing," stated Purple Wiseman his eyes glowing with red ki.

Neo-Queen Serenity scowled and stood up only to have her wrist grabbed by the purple robed figure. "And just what piece of idiocy are you up to now?"

"Somebody needs to…"

"Right," interrupted Purple Wiseman, "Somebody whose knowledge of youma culture under Beryl is slowly rising to zero needs to go running into a furo and do something on Pops' level of stupid. Calm down and sit down."

Neo-Queen Serenity looked down as the hand that held her wrist in a vice like grip and glared at Purple Wiseman.

"Don't give me that look, _Usagi_; you know I'm right."

Neo-Queen Serenity frowned and sat down. After a while the hand left her wrist. "You have no reason to fear for your younger-self's safety. Turqua respects Eclipse too much to hurt her."

"Even when she rejects her?"

Purple Wiseman gave chuckle. "Who says she will reject her? Unlike you, Eclipse knows her knowledge is limited and will try to learn enough to translate her Japanese upbringing into terms Turqua can understand. Turqua for her part respects Eclipse enough try and understand her position. In all likelihood they'll settle on being bond mates; the closest equivalent in Joketsuzoku culture would be shield sister."

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed. "That comparison would help if I actually knew what a shield sister was," she growled.

"It's a bond between warriors who respect each other," said an elderly female voice causing Neo-Queen Serenity to jump up and spin around.

"Hello Kě Lún," said Purple Wiseman calmly. "I hope my meager knowledge of Joketsuzoku culture has not made training the Ayakashi Sisters too much of a pain."

"No, you were forthright with your statement that your knowledge was limited as much didn't apply on Nemesis. Considering the limitations you did a remarkable job."

"I sense a 'but' in there," said Purple Wiseman.

"I am more concerned with how my fellow Elders might view this," said Kě Lún. "They have suspected that I have been holding back on important facts regarding your clan and some have certain…_views_ regarding youma and those descended from youma."

"I trust they are a minority," said Purple Wiseman in a tone of voice that sent a chill down Neo-Queen Serenity's spine.

"Yes but they are still powerful in their own right and there are those who want to either remain or get in their good graces and could do something stupid to do so."

Purple Wiseman sighed. "Kě Lún my old love, the clans of the Phoenix Republic will understand a few overzealous members going off the rails but they have their limits. I don't want my efforts to restore what has been lost to _us_ to endanger what is being created _here_."

Kě Lún gave a weak smile. "There would be similar problems with just the Gray Moon Clan. There are always those who resist change."

"Change upsets what is known; what is comfortable," said Purple Wiseman. "The reality is change is part of life. _Nothing_ is forever. Even stars are born, live, and _die_."

"When you said you were pessimist you weren't kidding," said Ranma as he approached. "You sound about as full of joy as P-chan."

"According to an American philosopher and inventor named Ben Franklin 'It's better to be a pessimist and pleasantly surprised than an optimist and constantly disappointed.' Given the way things tended to go haywire I decided to think on how bad things could go and plan for _that_. That way if things go right I can throw away the more…unpleasant options."

"So what unpleasant options have you thrown away regarding my friends and me?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Having you live my confrontation with 'Sailor Pluto' from my point of view," said Purple Wiseman. "Of course to fully experience that event I would have shared something equally traumatic from _your_ life."

"That sounds a little extreme…," began Neo-Queen Serenity.

"A LITTLE extreme?" yelled Purple Wiseman grabbing Neo-Queen Serenity by the front of her dress and pulling them close together. "Listen to me, you airheaded moron," growled Purple Wiseman, "Ki exchange in youma culture is akin to physical touch in many human cultures. My worse case option was to exchange our ki without your consent!"

"In short what he is trying to tell you is by youma standards he was willing to rape you," said Usagi's voice.

Purple Wiseman's turned his eyes glowing red under his hood. "I do hope you have not picked up my old trait of saying things that bluntly."

Usagi frowned as Turqua beside her glared at the purple robed figure. "No, but given how unworldly wise my counterpart is you were being a little too vague."

Purple Wiseman's retort was cut off as he was grabbed by the front of his robe and brought face to face with his younger-self. "Even if you are some future version of me with more skill then me, if you ever actually _try_ to do that I'll find some way to put you in a world of hurt. Understand?" hissed Ranma as Akane glared at her fiancée's future self and Turqua's expression became one of admiration.

Purple Wiseman grabbed one of Ranma's wrists. "It is you who don't understand. I was merely pointing out what my option was if the Nitwit didn't listen to reason. Since she has that option is not on the table anymore. Besides, the slight edge your imagination and unpredictability gives you is no match for my skill."

"You're right in that I don't understand," responded Ranma. "I don't understand how I could even consider such an option."

"You don't?" asked Purple Wiseman chuckling darkly. "No you wouldn't. You haven't seen all but one of your original friends and family die far away from home unable to return all because some idealist nincompoop rivaling Pops in terms of stupidity didn't look outside her own little imagined perfect world."

"_I_ understand," said Usagi scowling as her future-self blanched. "I understand that like all the other possible Wisemen revenge was part of your game plan but unlike them you didn't let it become the driving force in your life. You knew that once the full implication hit that it would _hurt_ Neo-Queen Serenity."

Purple Wiseman turned his hooded head to face Usagi. "I see your version of Usagi is actually using her brain. You are right but all this time I didn't know just how badly she messed up." Purple Wiseman hung his head. "This has escalated way beyond what I ever wanted."

"Big surprise there," commented Ranma letting Purple Wiseman go. "You haven't had to make stuff up as you go along in so long you are way out of practice. You only had the vaguest idea of what you were going to do when you confronted her and there was always the plan of hurting her while doing it in the back of your mind."

Sa Fulang now chuckled. "If you think it was only in the back of his mind you are still very naive, Ranma."

Ranma frowned looking at the young winged girl. "It was clear after you used Sailor Venus as your personal stress ball that there is more at play then just some imbalance in yin-yang ki. I got the impression that both your outbursts were due to the release of long suppressed feelings. You're concerned that the yin-yang imbalance is affecting your _control_ rather how you feel."

Purple Wiseman shook his head. "Even before I discovered Sun Tzu when I was presented with a martial arts problem my mind became like a sharp knife."

"You really hate me don't you?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity in a shaky voice.

Purple Wiseman face palmed as he groaned. "You have got to stop jumping to conclusions like that. It is not you that we hate; it is what you _represent_."

"We see many of our worst traits in you," explained Sa Fulang.

"Such as 'acting like some great power makes her the decider of what is right and what is wrong'?" asked Usgai. "Or that somehow everything will work out regardless of it looking like a total disaster?"

Sa Fulang blinked her eyes. "You weren't kidding when you said she could be just as analytical as you when she put her mind to it." Sa Fulang then grinned, "Just as I hoped."

"Every time you get that look…" started Purple Wiseman who then started shaking his head. "Kuso, you have got to be kidding."

"Not right now but give it a couple of centuries," commented Sa Fulang still grinning. "After all I am willing to share and she is somewhat of a fixer upper."

"Fixer upper," Turqua chuckled. "Your clan's Guardian has a knack for understatement. But given Eclipse, with a few centuries of work I can see how Neo-Queen Serenity _would_ be a viable mate for you two."

"A viable WHAT?" shrieked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"A _couple_ of centuries?" asked Purple Wiseman gesturing with his thumb.

"Ok, perhaps more than a couple," responded Sa Fulang.

The Queen of Crystal Tokyo's right eye now developed a nervous twitch. "Uh, somehow I don't think she is thrilled with this idea," said Ranma nervously.

"She can join the club," grumbled Purple Wiseman.

"And just what do you mean by that?" snapped Neo-Queen Serenity.

"I prefer my mates to have something in the head other than a sign saying 'space for rent' and aren't generating enough depression ki to give old P-chan a run for his money," quipped Purple Wiseman.

"RANMA NO BAKA!" yelled Neo-Queen Serenity as she slammed a scepter into Purple Wiseman's head.

"See they are already on the way to being a perfect couple," grinned Sa Fulang.

"He did not just say that," groaned Akane.

"Unfortunately, he did," responded Ranma

"He…she's basically quoting your father!' said Akane.

Sa Fulang chuckled. "Why not? You two in our timeline had an even rockier start and that turned out well."

"Would somebody please explain to me what caused Mom to hit Purple Wiseman in the head?" asked Wicked Lady frowning.

"Typical Saotome foot in mouth syndrome," commented Akane.

"He insulted her," sighed Wicked Lady. "But he's been doing that off and on since he got here. What's different with this time?"

"The Guardian of the Black Moon Clan is playing mate maker," commented Turqua.

"You mean Sa Fulang is setting up Mom and Wiseman as a couple?" asked Wicked Lady who now developed a nervous twitch like her mother.

"Seems that way and quoting Pops along the way," commented Ranma.

Wicked Lady looked over at her mother and then Purple Wiseman in total silence. Then she started shaking.

"Wicked Lady?" asked Ranma nervously.

"BAHAHAHAHA!" erupted Wicked Lady.

"It's not funny, daughter," growled Neo-Queen Serenity.

"But it is. You and Purple Wiseman Ranma a happily married couple. BAHAHAHAHA!"

"Hey, I did say it would likely take a couple of centuries before they got to that level of a relationship," said Sa Fulang.

"A _couple_ of centuries…" repeated Wicked Lady. "BAHAHAHAHA!"

"I fail to see the humor in this," grumbled Neo-Queen Serenity.

**~*~*Phoenix Republic, several hours later*~*~**

"Can't say I am surprised," commented Beryl as she dodged one of Akane's blows. "It is not unknown for Guardians to set up their clan heads or Advisors as possible mates for mutual benefit."

"I just hope they are far more intelligent about it then Pops or Soun," commented Ranma. "I have enough potential mate problems as is and Eclipse doesn't need anything resembling the mess those two have made with myself and Akane in her life."

"You needn't worry," commented Beryl as she blocked another of Akane's blows. "Such an arraignment would require the agreement of your clan's Guardian and I don't see Chronos Aeon doing something like that for a long time."

"At least not until all of his current mate problems are gone," said a soft voice no one recognized.

The threesome and the few youma interested in the training of Beryl turned to see a woman with long black hair and a skin tight grey Sailor Senshi style outfit sans the bows. Where her face should have been was a mask and in her hand was a weapon that resembled a weird merging of the Time Staff and Silent Glaive.

"Who?" began Beryl.

"Sailor Nemesis…from one of your futures," said the woman clearly amused at the question as she walked towards Beryl.

"Sailor _Nemesis_?" asked one of the youma clearly annoyed.

"Not the same one encountered earlier in this history though like her my power wasn't the product of hensin sticks and swiss cheesed brained cats. Like her, I _worked_ for _my_ power."

"Sailor Nemesis is a title not a real name," said Ranma.

"True, but I still have my own style, sensei," chuckled the woman. "I will show you all who I really am in short order but only _after_ I tell you the reason I am here."

"Which is?" asked Akane.

"Kuno Wiseman was only the beginning. Whoever was responsible for him in my past directed more packages of joy our way culminating in Sailor Galaxia. She was a mixture of all the worst traits of Neo-Queen Serenity and the undead Wisemen bent on turning the entire universe into a her idea of a utopia."

"Was she the power surge Chronos Aeon detected?" asked Ranma clearly worried.

"No. That was a ship of one of the two groups who have been fighting her for millennia. The war has gone on so long that all sides have become irrational and fight not only Sailor Galaxia but each other. The result has been thousands of _dead_ worlds. Queen Metallia was right to be afraid of someone else duplicating the Sailor Sensei power she created."

"Queen Metallia?" asked Beryl scowling.

"She used her own life energy to kick start the whole transference process that turned the Sailor Sensei from people the youma could respect in to the boosted pieces of food they became for 50,000 years. The process messed up her memories as well. She didn't even remember she had been human…or that she had been the first Queen of the Moon Kingdom."

"The first Queen of the _what_?" hissed Beryl through clenched teeth.

"You heard. But the reason I am here is as Chronos Aeon pointed out our future currently only has something like a one percent chance of happening. That would mean you would be ignorant of a war that is turning large chunks of the universe into a graveyard until it finally spilled over into your part."

"Where is this Sailor Galaxia?" asked Beryl in a harsh voice.

"Right now? Have no idea. Even her planet of origin is lost to history. We did find out that she came into possession of her world's versions of the Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou and that is when things started to go wrong. Her mind couldn't handle the power and so shattered in two; she was her world's version of _both_ Neo-Queen Serenity and Wiseman. She imagined she met Wiseman in a bar when in reality she was alone."

"Very powerful, total ruthless, and possibility totally insane. Wonderful," sighed Ranma rubbing his head. "And here I thought what I saw regarding the conflicts between Neo-Queen Serenity and the various undead Wiseman were a mess. Might telling us just who you are so we can evaluate all this?"

"Not at all as this is the best part," said the woman who reached up and pulled the black hair off her head revealing red hair underneath. She then removed her mask.

"Beryl?" asked a stunned Ranma.

"Please call me Nems," grinned the future Beryl.

"You're me?" asked Beryl.

Nems frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Hardly. You need to _work_ long and hard before you even _start_ being like me."

"If you are some future version of Beryl why didn't you come back earlier?" asked one of the youma.

"Simply put I couldn't. The only way I could get here without making my past more likely was through the Stargate."

"Then our concern that the Time Gates might be compromised was correct," said Ranma.

"Not the way you are thinking," responded Nems shaking her head. "Time Gates can set up a resonance field making the future the person comes from more likely unless forces have already made that future either impossible or extremely unlikely. The Stargates have no such effect." Nems reached into a sleeve of her skin tight outfit and pulled out a small grey piece of quartz.

Ranma gave a small whistle as he grinned. "An improved version of Mousse's hidden weapons technique."

"This contains the names and a basic understanding of our current techniques. Any more and it might result in unwarranted attention. Besides, neither you nor the youma like instant upgrades."

"No, we don't and this should be more than enough to direct me down certain paths," commented Ranma as he pocketed the crystal.

"I really wish I could stay," said Nems as she put on her wig and mask, "but again certain actions could result in unwarranted attention."

"Is that the reason for the disguise?" asked Beryl.

"Actually no," said Nems as she walked away. "This was something we threw together to deal with one of the earlier packages of joy we got: a variant of the Nitwit and a psychotic undead Wiseman. One day I hope we find who is responsible; we so want to _thank_ them for making our lives so _interesting_," commented Nems as she touched the Stargate and after it flashed a very rapid sequence walked through the now gray opening.

"That didn't sound pleasant," said Akane.

"What she said or the way she said it?" asked Beryl. "The youma here can tell you I have a petty vengeful streak when the mood strikes me—and that version of me was in that mood. However she isn't the problem."

"No, she isn't the problem—Sailor Galaxia is," said Ranma as he walked over to the Stargate.

"Sensei, how much can you move up my training schedule?" asked Beryl a hard determination in her eyes.

Ranma turned. "You haven't built up your ki to where you can heal injuries like I can."

"I heard that Mistress 9's host Hotaru can heal injuries…," begun Beryl.

"That skill has to be used sparingly and besides with the amount of death ki Mistress 9 is generating currently bringing them here is likely not a good idea," responded Ranma.

"Damn it," fumed Beryl. "Even with the basic skill you gave me so I wasn't a total beginner I could see and feel the power she had—power that I one day will have though learning martial arts. There must be something…_anything_ you can do to speed up the training."

"Anything?" asked Ranma as he walked up to Beryl. "I'd be very careful, Beryl. My father was willing to do _anything_ if he felt it would make me better in the Art. Not every option available is a good one."

"But _you_ know which methods work and which don't," pleaded Beryl.

Ranma removed his hood. "Depends on your definition of 'works', Beryl," said Ranma grimly. "The Neko-ken 'worked' in it _did_ make me a fantastic fighter but the major down side was it also made me unable to be in my right mind to use the thing. Even now that I don't black out I still have this sense of wrongness about the thing."

"But have someone coming who by this account is a more powerful version of Neo-Queen Serenity with all the insanity of one of the undead Wiseman who is being fought by forces just as crazy. It must have been a close battle; why else would come back to us? There may be a chance that maniac and her foes could come earlier and we are going to need every advantage to shut both her and who ever is fighting her down. If we don't everyone you care about on Earth could die, Ranma. Your possible mate, your father, your mother…Ranma?" asked Beryl as Ranma's eyes seemed to glaze over.

"Kuso," whispered Akane. "You just triggered the Neko-ken."

Ranma frowned. "Just remember, Crimson… you asked for this," he said in his female voice as he touched Beryl's forehead.

Beryl stiffened as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Morganite, there has to be another way then have her live through Ranma's life," hissed Akane.

Ranma gave a grim smile. "My father of this life had it right when he said 'the life of a martial artist is full of peril'. The sister of my old life is finally willing to improver herself and pay penance for what she has put our mother's people through for 12,000 years," he said his voice still that of his female form despite him being male. "Living through my current life to this point solves both issues; don't you agree my future mate?"

Akane scowled. "_Your_ future mate? I love _Ranma_ not you, Morganite. I don't know anything about you except you were Beryl's twin sister."

"At least there is that issue out of the way. You two were so resistant to admitting your feelings thanks to your idiotic fathers." Ranma then frowned. "He's snapping out of it this early? But why?"

"Because you didn't explain what Beryl was going to go through before doing it," growled Ranma in his normal voice as his left hand grabbed the wrist of the right.

"You can't put me or the original Sailor Pluto back in the box any more than you could the cat you use to become, Ranma," said Ranma with the female voice.

"Perhaps, but now I am aware and that means I can interfere if I put my mind to it. I will not let you act like Neo Queen Serenity and enforce your views on others without them fully understanding what they are getting into."

"You are saying what I am doing is no better then Neo Queen Serenity? How can you say that?" snarled Ranma in his female voice. "You did this with Usagi…oh no. You had it explained to her just what the consequences could be." Ranma removed his finger and stared at his hands. "What have I done?"

"You helped me, Morg," said Beryl tears still streaming down her face.

"At what price?" asked Ranma in a shaky female voice.

"No worst then what I have imagined the youma have planned regarding my punishment," smirked Beryl. "Besides living through Ranma's life will further convince the youma her that I am totally serious about improving myself." Beryl then smiled in an unsettling way. "I know what I can become and now I have the means to reach that goal faster."

"You got lucky, Morganite," said Ranma through clenched teeth. "But ever do that again and I _will_ find a way to make you regret it." Ranma narrowed his eyes as he looked at Beryl. "You do understand the error I was making before becoming Wiseman, right?"

Beryl somberly nodded. "Yes, I need to be aware of my limits and no matter how good I think I am there is always someone better in terms of skill, power, or both." Beryl then frowned. "Speaking of my limits I think that learning how to use yin-yang ki is better for me then emotional ki."

"I agree with that assessment," said Ranma. "You don't have enough focus to use emotional ki effectively and based on what I see in your aura I think Metallia has been unknowing manipulating yin-yang ki for a long time—perhaps even before you got sent here."

Beryl took a deep breath. "Sounds like I will have to be careful on how I use Metallia's ability if I want the respect of the youma."

Ranma pulled out the Jakokusuishou. "As I have learned having power and being able to actually use it _effectively_ are two different things."

"Neo-Queen Serenity case in point," smirked Beryl.

"Neo-Queen Serenity _and_ Purple Wiseman _cases_ in point," responded Ranma folding his arms. "Remember the Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou are supposed to Taoistic in their relationship to each other but their lack of understanding regarding that relationship limited their respective use of their powers."

"It can't be that simple," said Beryl frowning. "There had to be something else." Beryl narrowed her eyes. "No, some_one_ else."

Ranma grinned. "My thoughts exactly. Neo-Queen Serenity remembered that her Sailor Pluto give up her pure heart crystal so that she could defeat Pharaoh 90."

"But that's fatal…I see," scowled Beryl. "All this time I thought my enemy was Queen Serenity and her child." Beryl gave a bitter laugh. "I've been a fool."

"No, not a fool. Lacking in knowledge I will agree but not a fool," said Ranma.

"Does that apply to me as well?" asked a soft voice.

Ranma frowned as he turned to face the speaker. "Neo-Queen Serenity. What are you doing here?"

"What I should have been doing when I was Sailor Moon…trying to understand Beryl's motivations."

"Understand my motivations?" asked Beryl her face turning red. "Your friendship resulted in my twin sister being killed, then you took the man I loved away, and centuries later when I finally tried to reclaim my birthright there you were again. How can you not understand my motivations?"

"Because you don't seem to have these same feelings toward Eclipse."

Beryl smiled. "Oh, _initially_ I did have the same feelings regarding Eclipse but thanks to her actions I know that my sister reincarnated and is in a small way still here. As far as Prince Endymion is concerned he has been dead for 12,000 years and even if he reincarnated we wouldn't necessarily be the person I was in love with. Finally, I now know that ruling _this_ Earth isn't my birthright—it never was."

"But you in our world our history you never even considered any of that, Beryl," said the firm voce of Purple Wiseman.

Neo-Queen Serenity turned her face full of pain. "Don't you trust me not to screw this up?"

"This is not a matter of screwing up, but getting you both to confront things that neither of you really want to address," said Purple Wiseman as he approached the area that had once been Beryl's throne room.

"You mean like facing the reality that I couldn't have won no matter what I did or the fact that my issues with the Princess were far more personal then they should have been?" snorted Beryl. "You are a day too late and a bag of barley too short on _that_, Purple Wiseman."

"I realize that in enforcing my views without considering or even consulting those I ruled I became no better then Beryl so what else is there?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"It looks like I overestimated your stubbornness in these matters," said Purple Wiseman chuckling.

"She's here for more than Beryl's motives," said Ranma looking at Neo-Queen Serenity.

Neo-Queen Serenity sighed. "I wanted…no needed someone to tell me what the Moon Kingdom was like from outside of it even if it was a biased view. The only one who would have that kind of information is Beryl."

Beryl gave a humorless chuckle. "Biased is putting it mildly, Princess. The Moon Kingdom claimed it was a wonderful place where everyone was served according to their need." Beryl then snorted. "Like that is going to make people even try to be better. The youma were quite willing to jump to the conclusion that the reason their weren't any youma on Moon Kingdom planets is that either the Sailor Sensei hunted them down or the ki had been so diluted that what youma had lived there had starved to death."

"The Moon Kingdom on its own had provided all the tools for a rebellion—all that was needed was someone to actually use them," commented Neo-Queen Serenity as she turned and slowly walked back to the Stargate.

"You better go after her," said Ranma looking at his no longer possible future-self, "in her current state she might do something crazy, stupid, or both."

"No need to worry there is someone else on the other side who is more effective then I could be."

**~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~**

After exiting the dojo where the Stargate stood Neo-Queen Serenity turned and looked at the grey curtained shower.

"We have enough problems without you doing something reckless," said Usagi.

"You did it so how is it reckless?" retorted Neo-Queen Serenity who turned scowling. "Stumbling around in a darkened room with something that could change my form now _that_ is reckless."

Usagi chuckled. "Point made. But you have to admit we weren't thinking strategically in dealing with Beryl." Usagi then sighed. "I had a reasonable grasp of youma culture even before I became one part time. _That_ is what really separates us—information and understanding. Though you are trying."

"I vaguely remember Ranma saying something about instant Jusenkyo packets for one time transformations."

"The catalogue doesn't list packets of drowned youma if that is what you are thinking. Also, forget about using our disguise pen—youma are reasonably adapt at sensing ki. They would spot the difference in a very short time."

"But how am I going to accepted as anything but at best an idealistic dupe when I return home?"

"You strive to active something _there_ not here," responded Usagi in an annoyed tone. "Do you seriously think I have it easier? I have the actions of Sailor Moon to contend with and unlike your actions they are not some centuries in the past but mere months." Usagi gestured to the Stargate. "In one respect you are even more like Beryl then you were before-or at least our version of the woman. This isn't something that can be quickly fixed-it is going to take time and hard work."

Neo-Queen Serenity took a deep sigh. "What do I do here in the meanwhile? It's not like my Wiseman and I could use the method we applied on my friends and regain what we have lost and I don't think that either of us could pretend to be our younger selves without spectacularly screwing it up."

"Do what I did-become friends with the other members of the Black Moon clan. Stop using the mask of Neo-Queen Serenity as a barrier and learn how to _live_ again."

"But my daughter…"

"Yes she has issues with you but our own childhood wasn't all fluffy kittens and ice cream before becoming Sailor Moon. Keeping her at arm's length is not helping."

"But where do I start?"

"Try Prince Demondo. He seems to have a thing for you."

"But I'm married."

Usagi chuckled. "I'm not saying you should start an affair but rather get to know each other. If you find out you want be more than just friends then you, your husband, and Demondo can work out the details when you get back home."

Neo-Queen Serenity's jaw dropped open and her eyes widened. "What?" she asked in a squeaky voice.

Usagi again chuckled. "I keep forgetting that we are at vastly different levels of understanding with regards to youma culture. As Turqua explained to me it is not uncommon for strong clan heads to have more than one mate at the same time. Once the people of Nemesis stop seeing you as a boosted piece of food you like me are going to get propositions," said Usagi. "Turqua wanted to offer me physical pleasure and if I wanted it the intimacy of a full ki exchange as well not realizing that in our human culture her offer was just as intimate."

"Physical pleasure?" Neo-Queen Serenity asked nervously.

Usagi nodded blushing as a tentacle come out of her side. "She even offered a little spice to the mix."

Neo-Queen Serenity's eyes widened at the new appendage, "What's that?"

"That's the spice I was talking about."

"You're not considering her offer, are you?"

"Right now? No, I am still too young but later…," Usagi gestured to the tentacle. "I realized then that alliances between clan heads may involve more than being simply friends."

Neo-Queen Serenity quietly walked over to one of the wooden poles between the house and dojo and started banging her head against it all the while saying "Would like to wake up now. Would like to wake up now" like it was some sort of prayer.

"Does Mom's current behavior have anything to do with the Taro special you are now sporting?" asked Wicked Lady.

"Kind of," commented Usagi before turning towards Wicked Lady. "Taro special?"

"Orana loves to describe how strong her mate Taro is and the pleasure he brings her-in great detail."

"So that is where Turqua got the idea for this," commented Usagi as the tentacle was reabsorbed into her torso.

"Ok, this real and not me having a nightmare. Ow, I think I just gave myself a headache," groaned Neo-Queen Serenity her head resting against the pole.

"Your boosted counterpart having another issue with reality or is this some new kind of self torture she has devised?" asked Turqua sarcastically.

"I told her of your offer and when once she got to the level where she wasn't regarded as boosted food she might encounter similar offers. As you can see she didn't react to that idea very well."

"Hard to believe that at one point you and she were the same person," commented Turqua looking at Neo-Queen Serenity who then turned her attention to Usagi. "As amusing and to some degree satisfying as it might be to watch the boosted bimbo try and hurt herself that is not why I came over here. I've been mulling over our earlier conversation and realized that an exchange of _information_ would be an excellent way of showing my appreciation while helping both our clans."

Usagi nodded smiling. "I get to learn more about being a clan head and your clan learns more about Japanese culture. I like it."

"Good. Since I am the one proposing, a formal introduction of my clan is in order," smiled Turqua gesturing to a part of the dojo yard. Tugqua then clapped her hands. "Clan attend, we have matters to discuss."

Once the other four Doom and Gloom girls and Taro gathered around Turqua gestured. "I offered physical pleasure to Eclipse as a measure of thanks for her treatment Beryl and was reminded that she was born and raised as a Japanese human and so is not fully knowledgeable to our ways. I also learned to my embarrassment that my offer was as intimate to her culture as a full ki exchange is in ours. We have agree that an enchange of information is the best current course of action."

"Eclipse may I present my clan." Turqua gestured to the red youma arm and arm with a somewhat nervous Taro. "Orana, our clan guardian, and her mate Taro are already known to you." Turqua gestured to the green, purple, and pink youma. "Verda, Anil, and finally our clan Advisor Rosada."

"Something wrong, Verda?" asked Usagi noting the youma's scowl. "You have permission to speak freely with no retribution."

"Do you think some magic water and martial training makes you our equal especially in the light of what you did before?" asked Verda.

"Verda! What do you think you are doing?" snapped Orana.

"Merely putting into words what I have long suspected," said Usagi sadness in her eyes. "To answer her question no I don't think those things make me your equal. As for what I did as Sailor Moon…" Usagi looked down at her hands. "All I can offer in defense is ignorance and my cultural upbringing. It doesn't bring back the youma I killed."

Verda nodded her scowl turning to a frown. "So you accept that you have a ways to go before truly being our equal?"

"Yes."

"You also accept your actions as Sailor Moon with regret?"

"Yes."

"Verda," hissed Rosada. "You overstepped your bounds and will be punished."

"What? But I gave her permission to speak freely with no retribution," stated a shocked Usagi.

"That promise only applies to you and your clan," said Turqua grimly. "It has no bearing on our clan. Verda asked questions that are reserved to one of the Three without our permission to do so. Verda, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"Only that I had my clan's best interests at heart. We all know what happened to us in Purple Wiseman's history."

"Noted but may I remind that despite their limited knowledge of youma culture the members of the Grey Moon clan have not overstepped _their_ bounds. By asking such questions you are implying that the Three of your clan are incompetent and that _you_ know better."

"Not incompetent but potentially blind," retorted Verda. "Our Guardian is so infatuated with her new mate that the clan's welfare may be compromised. Our clan head has admitted that she had to be reminded that Ellipse was once and still is human something that should have been brought to her attention by our Advisor."

"As much as it pains me she does raise good points," frowned Rosada. "However behaving in a manner similar to Beryl is something that cannot be ignored…or tolerated."

"Agreed. Verda, by the authority as clan head of the Doom and Gloom clan I pronounce that you are now mentor to as well as plaything of the Grey Moon clan until the Three of that clan have shown that they understand most of their requirements. When that happens you be returned to your previous station in our clan."

Usagi sighed as she started rubbing her head. "I understand what being made a plaything means but you need to understand that outside of Nabiki I doubt that anyone in or directly connected to my clan will stop treating Verda as a person."

"Oh I understand that," said Orana a nasty smile emerging on her face. "That is why I also made her mentor-one of the highest honors and responsibilities that can be granted to any youma. She has valid concerns that she is now in a position to help address as well as being punished by her presumption. If I may be so bold you might even consider giving her to Nabiki to use so the human understands just what your warning regarding making her a plaything means."

Usagi nodded a nasty smile of her own forming on her face.

**~*~*Nabiki's room*~*~**

Nabiki frowned as she looked over her ledgers annoyed at the lost of income when there was a knock at her door.

"Nabiki, are you busy? I have something for you," came Eclipse's voice from the other side.

"No, come in," grumbled Nabiki facing the door. In walked Eclipse leading a green youma behind her with a leach.

"What is this?"

"This is Verda. She committed a major foopaw with her clan and they made her the Grey Moon clan's plaything. When I pointed out that with one exception no one in or associated with my clan would stopped treating her as a person it was suggested that I give her to that one exception." Usagi put the leash into Nabiki's hand. "Congratulations, you have first rights regarding our clan's new plaything. Now don't do anything that might damage her; some of us might want to use her later on." Usagi then turned and left.

Nabiki stood there in shock for a moment and then turned to Verda. "This is a joke, right?"

"No. Master this is no joke," said Verda. "I assumed authority what was not mine and as punishment I have been made the Grey Moon Clan's plaything. As long as you do nothing that permanently damages it my body it is yours to do with as you see fit."

"Why me?"

"Because they wanted you to understand what being made a plaything meant," said Verda.

Nabiki suddenly felt a cold chill down her spine she realized just what was really going on. "This isn't just a punishment for you but a test for me," she grumbled. "You could use my body to make lots of yen but how far will you go given it will serve as the base line for how you'll be treated when you get to this stage."

"_Whe_n I get to this stage? Don't you mean _if_?"

"From what I have heard most definitely _when_. Your desire for money will cause you to cross a line the clan will find unacceptable and you will be like I am now."

Nabiki shivered as she looked at the leash in her hand.

**~*~*Jusenkyo, China*~*~**

General Huang suppressed a shiver as he…_she_ looked at the Stargate.

"General, I tried to warn you…" begun the Guide nervously.

"Yes, you did," replied General Huang trying to straighten her now ill-fitting uniform. "You are sure if the Americans try this the same thing will happen?" she asked the Guide.

"Yes, as I told General Andrew _every_ attempt at making Jusenkyo into a weapon has failed. Even the local's attempts have been total disasters."

"Urg," said a gorilla in a tattered uniform as he set a portable generator next to the Stargate.

"Thank you, Sargent," said General Huang as she unfolded a piece of paper. "Let's see if we can salvage something out of this disaster."

**~*~*RS*~***


	18. Chap 18 Weakness and Strength

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 18 – Weakness and Strength (teaser)

Usagi aka Queen Eclipse looked up at the Stargate as it spun up and then down at the crystal based computer tied into it. Frowning she stepped in front of the Stargate as the gray circle turned into a window. On the other side she saw a young woman in an ill fitting general's uniform with a gorilla in a tattered uniform stranding beside her.

"I am General Huang of the People's Liberation Army. Who do I have the honor of addressing?"

"Queen Eclipse clan head of the Grey Moon Clan," responded Usagi who then shook her head. "Let me guess. You tried to weaponize Jusenkyo didn't you?"

"Yes. The Guide tried to warn us…"

"But you didn't listen until it was too late; yes that occurs a lot," admitted Usagi. "I wouldn't try anything else. The locals might get annoyed."

"The locals are already annoyed," said a growling voice.

General Huang turned as a powerfully built man walked toward the Stargate.

"I am Wěi Fāng, ruler of the Jakou also known as the Musk," said the man.

"Hello, father," said Herb.

Wěi Fāng frowned. "You fell into one of the Jusenkyo pools."

"And thanks to the Locking Ladle I am stuck in this form for a while," explained Herb, "Wiseman has been teaching me how to be comfortable in my new form and how to have some degree of control once we unlock it."

"Don't you mean Black Wiseman?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity.

"From what I understand both of you will have to return from whence you came meaning soon there will be only _one_ Wiseman-the one who advices the Grey Moon clan," said Herb still facing the Stargate, "Father, I have learned that the youma don't conceive of male and female as we do."

"Transformal hermaphrodites is the term Purple Wiseman used," said Usagi blushing a little. "While they have a default sex any youma can choose to be male, female, or both simultaneously."

"Interesting," said General Huang, "but I need to bring something back to Beijing other then a company of men that change forms when they come into contact with water of differing temperature. This Stargate for instance is a great concern for the welfare of Chinese security."

"Oh please," commented Neo Queen Serenity rolling her eyes. "The only reason you are concerned is because you _know_ about it. Queen Beryl could have had youma draining remote villages of their life ki and you wouldn't have had clue one because she didn't need Stargates."

"What?!" asked a worried General Huang.

Usagi sighed. "She is essentially correct." Usagi walked over to Thoth's desk and picked up a book. "This book, _Black Holes and Warped Spacetime_ by William J. Kaufmann III, ISBN: 0553205390 has become our fall back to guide for explaining both the nature of the Phoenix Republic and Stargates. It's not perfect but thanks to its Penrose diagrams it is better then Thoth forgetting her audience and nearly everyone getting lost after the fifth word and their brain starting to hurt about twenty words in." Usagi glanced at the book in her hand. "As near as I understand it the Phoenix Republic is a pocket reality connected to but not part of our universe making it a natural Einstein-Rosen bridge but with a much more limited range then the Stargates. While we can't use it to go to the stars, Jadeite was able to use it to travel from here to London in _five minutes_."

"Five minutes?! Not even an ICBM can do that!"

"So I have been told. Beryl never fully understood just what kind of power her domain had but someone else did." Usagi paused and set the book back on the desk. "General Huang, have you heard of an idol talent agency called the Dark Agency?"

"Yes, I… They're who you were speaking of."

"London may have been their main base of operation but they had projects all over the globe. Superficially their goal was the same as the now defunct Dark Kingdom but Jadeite has found a level of sophistication beyond even his efforts. Those guys knew exactly what they were doing and they were and may still be operating in _your_ country." Eclipse glanced over at a brunette haired woman in a gray uniform. "Zoisite, I think you should go and get Wiseman. It looks like I am going to be needing him in the role of advisor."

**~*~*Phoenix Republic*~*~**

"Your future-self knew what she was doing; in terms of motivation," commented Ranma as Beryl jumped over a kick by Akane. "I still have misgivings about you living though my life without Mistress 9 and Hotaru to act as a filter."

"I've wondered about that," remarked Akane as she tried to punch Beryl again, "Given the differences in our bodies I don't understand how we got anything useful. Sure, we know how to do the moves but our bodies don't have …what was the term Thoth used?"

"Muscle memory," responded Ranma pulling out his Jakokusuishou. "But remember that despite it appearing to be magic the Jakokusuishou along with everything else of the Moon Kingdom is a form of technology. Even now the Jakokusuishou is intelligent and aware. It knows that dumping _all_ of my life into your heads would be a majorly bad idea and likely acted as a filter when Morganite pulled her little stunt.

If the Sailor Senshi had to train to actually _use_ the powers of the pervious generation the youma wouldn't have had the contempt they did. There had to originally been some form of quick adaption in place so a Sailor Senshi could go out and the field and be useful but since the Jakokusuishou uses yin rather than yang ki energy you don't get that immediate able to _do_ everything at once effect."

"Is that why even now I feel compelled to _not_ use some of the more advanced techniques I know?" asked Beryl as she fell down to the ground thanks to getting caught by a foot sweep by Akane.

Ranma nodded and sighed. "Morganite meant well but she didn't understand that the Jakokusuishou and later Hotaru-Mistress 9 acted as filters to prevent whoever I was sharing my knowledge and life with from picking up everything." Ranma glanced over at his future-self. "_That_ was the real reason you were pissed at Wicked Lady-she short circuited the filter effect."

"Our mother has a lot of _our_ physiological baggage as well as her own," said Purple Wiseman calmly only the red glow of his eyes betraying his real feelings on the matter. "She needs understanding and help, not pity."

"I can see the anger ki in your eyes…" began Ranma.

"It's not directed at Wicked Lady or even Neo-Queen Serenity if that is what you are worried about. If it is directed anywhere it is at Metaria for creating a shortcut that even Pops would express misgivings about."

"DON'T YOU…" **WHAM**

"Nice move there, metal for brains," commented Purple Wiseman the sarcasm practically dripping from his tone. "Take over your host in the middle of a sparing match and get punched in the eye for your troubles."

Beryl glared at Purple Wiseman through the eye that wasn't a black and blue mess. She then smiled. "My future-self told us of a fun little piece of joy that calls herself Sailor Galaxia. All the worst aspects of Neo-Queen Serenity and the undead Wisemen in one nice crazy package and operating on a _galactic_ scale. It is only going to be a matter of time before she shows up on _your_ doorstep."

"What is she taking about?" asked Sa Fulang frowning.

Ranma walked over to Beryl's crystal ball. "She is talking about her future-self's message," he said touching the crystal ball. Soon an image formed and a voice could be heard. "Kuno Wiseman was only the beginning. Whoever was responsible for him in my past directed more packages of joy our way culminating in Sailor Galaxia. She was a mixture of all the worst traits of Neo-Queen Serenity and the undead Wisemen bent on turning the entire universe into a her idea of a utopia."

Ranma removed his hand not bothering to turn around. "Beryl does have a point. Given what her future-self told us it is only a matter of time before this planet hopping maniac and the war that is following her leaving _thousands_ of dead worlds in its wake shows up on your door step." Ranma turned. "The question is will you be ready?"

"_Thousands_ of dead worlds?" squeaked Purple Wiseman. Purple Wiseman then turned and ran to the Stargate keying in a sequence so fast that even to Ranma's trained eyes his hands were a blur. "What? 'Access denied, portal in use?'"

Ranma chuckled. "That means one of the other four portals is connecting to the Tendo Dojo. It's an intended limitation of the Stargates."

"_Intended_ limitation?" asked female voice. The youma all turned and stared at as woman in the uniform of a Shitennou walked up.

"I didn't want someone to come through a Stargate in communication mode nor for the communication in progress to be interrupted, Zoisite." Ranma frowned. "Thoth explained that many leaders of various countries would feel threatened by the power of the Stargates so I put in this limitation as well as keeping their numbers down. That is why counting this one we only have five."

"So what other gate is being used?" asked Purple Wiseman.

"Can't be the lunar base as no one is there yet. I can't think of a reason NORAD out of Cheyenne Mountain would be calling without first going through Camp Zama to give us a heads up. Obviously, can't be this gate so that leaves the Jusenkyo Stargate. That means either our Saffron decided to have a talk or the People's Liberation Army of China showed up and decided to save face by having a talk. If I had to guess I'd say the later."

"Your guess is quite correct on all counts," chuckled the female Zoisite. "A General Huang tried to weaponize Jusenkyo and …well it didn't work out too well."

Ranma sighed. "If Jusenkyo _could_ be weaponized the locals themselves would have done it long ago. The fact none of them as far as I know has means that Jusenkyo itself has means to prevent this. I wouldn't be surprised if the place hasn't become aware on some level—perhaps not on the level of the Jakokusuishou but in any case it is more then just a mass of emotional ki."

"Eclipse already let General Huang know that we Shitennou don't need the Stargates. He…She seemed surprised at the information. Eclipse felt she would a little out of her depth and had me come and get you."

Ranma turned towards Beryl. "It seems our training for now will have to be cut short. However, I want you to keep practicing and I don't mean more katas."

"But the only ones here I can regularly spar with…" begun Beryl.

"Are the youma," finished Ranma. "I think you are at a level where you can make a reasonable showing. Pops may have been an idiot in many respects but he was right in that the life of a martial artist is filled with peril. You have to willing to take the risk of injury or failure to improve."

"But the youma despise me," whimpered Beryl. "If not for their respect of Eclipse I likely would already be relegated to the level of plaything."

"Beryl, do you think I don't know this?" responded Ranma. "But learning techniques is no walk through the park. For instance, learning the Hissatsu Tenshin Amaguriken involves shoving your hands into a roaring fire until you get fast enough you don't get burned in removing the chestnuts." Ranma gestured to Akane. "The main reason Akane's progress flatlined was she wasn't challenged—for years, there just simply wasn't anyone better than her to give her the needed incentive."

"And when that challenge finally did arrive it terrified me," commented Akane. "My whole concept of my place in the Art and what was real in the world was shattered in one night. Ranma,…"

"Beryl has the same fear about the youma you did about the hentai horde in general, Kuno and myself in particular," finished Ranma as Akane's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Thanks to sharing some of your memories I am not as blind as I was. I know I am likely treading very dangerous ground here with this but it was Beryl who asked if there was _anything_ that could be done to speed up her training. Anything would include _this_ route but if you are afraid, Beryl…"

"Afraid? Yes, I am afraid…" responded Beryl who stopped and narrowed her eyes. "You're testing me."

"In a way, yes," admitted Ranma. "I could get goaded into doing something supremely insane and or idiotic by someone appealing to my ego. I wanted to make sure that your desire to get quicker results wouldn't allow you to make the same mistakes I did. Even as they are now the skills you have are worth something. _That_ rather than wagering yourself as a youma plaything can be your medium of exchange, Beryl. Zoisite, I believe we have let the general wait around long enough, so if you would do the honors."

**~*~*Jusenkyo, China*~*~**

General Huang patently waited her concern deepening. Zoisite had quite literally disappeared and after a few minutes reappeared with a figure in a black robe and a somewhat muscular Japanese school girl.

"I am Black Wiseman. Am I safe to assume you are General Huang?" asked the robed figure.

"I am."

Black Wiseman removed his hood revealing what appeared to be a young Japanese male of about 18. "First, General I must tell you as far as we know there is no cure for Jusenkyo. The best you and your men can hope for is control," said the figure as he pulled a blue topped thermos from his robes. "Second, I imagine you need something to bring back to your superiors other than what amounts to a circus side show attraction," continued Black Wiseman as he poured a himself a cup of liquid from the thermos which he promptly poured over his head changing into a very well endowed red headed Japanese girl. "Finally, I believe you have some concerns about both the Stargates and the Phoenix Republic."

General Huang's smile did not reach his eyes as he replied. "You are completely correct on your second and third points, Black Wiseman."

"Before we go further let me explain a few things about youma culture," responded Black Wiseman. "Each clan has three top positions: Clan head, Advisor, Guardian. Once they have formally identified themselves you can accept everything they tell you as true to the best of their ability." Black Wiseman sighed. "I am Saotome Ranma, better known as Black Wiseman, the Advisor of the Grey Moon Clan. My role is to provide information and make suggestions to better my clan. Despite my clan's status we have no formal role in the Phoenix Republic's fledgling government."

"Now that formality is out of the way we can get to the useful part," continued Black Wiseman. "Beryl was the motivating force behind the now defunct Dark Kingdom's efforts to try to take over the planet. The Phoenix Republic has no such desires especially after seeing just what kind of technology the armies of the world have at their disposal. As for the Stargates, there are only five of them and while communication such as this take very little energy moving matter through them takes more energy."

Black Wiseman then chuckled, "Besides, it is more the United States and Japan who should be concerned then China. After all, one Stargate is in Tokyo while the other is in the NORAD HQ in Cheyenne Mountain which are more vulnerable then an obscure valley in China near the Tibetan boarder."

"Now, to the second point. The Grey Moon clan is on the cutting edge of figuring out the technology of the Moon Kingdom which is entirely ki based. Also the Phoenix Republic is a reality of perpetual twilight with no sun, no moon, not much in the way of soil but it has been able to sustain a large enough human population for the youma to subsist on their life ki for near on 12,000 years. Right now the medium of exchange in the Phoenix Republic is ki life energy which doesn't translate well into traditional money. But it does have knowledge regarding a largely untapped energy source and a human food source that will grow in all but the most inhospitable climates."

"We already have trade agreements," said General Huang.

"Not like this. The Moon Kingdom's technology was entirely ki based. A crude imitation of that technology has already built a moon base without all the hassle that the original moon program had. That technology will turn China's population problem into its greatest asset." Black Wiseman stepped forward an eager expression on her face. "Think of it, General; the population of a small city could supply the very energy the city needs to function without the building of huge power plants. With the right martial arts training you wouldn't even _need_ traditional power plants," finished Black Wiseman a ball of energy forming in his hand.

General Huang narrowed his eyes. It was clear that the Phoenix Republic had much to offer and equally clear that Black Wiseman and possibly the youma in general were naive in how the world worked. "I can't make decisions for my government."

"I understand I am also limited with regards to my clan but I can give you information." Black Wiseman paused if considering something. "General, we suspect that the whole thing with the Dark Agency was a false flag operation. The top agent of our spy agency has been working with MI6 and found humans are _still_ being drained of their life energy without their knowledge or consent in London. The youma of the Phoenix Republic aren't responsible so that leaves the Dark Agency. The problem is we don't know what the true goals of whoever is behind them are."

General Huang frowned slightly. It was possible that Black Wiseman was lying or had not been given accurate information but that was not his decision to make. The important thing was a threat could still be active in China. "Do you have a proposition?"

**~*~*Time Gates, time of Crystal Tokyo*~*~**

"Go after Neo-Queen Serenity? King Endymion, that would leave only me to guard Crystal Tokyo," said Sailor Pluto.

"Guard it from _what_?" asked King Endymion.

"The people of Nemesis for one and the youmized Sailor Sensei for another. I noted energy similar to the Time Gates but also different in that other time. That seems to indicate they have found a way around the Time Gates and can travel through time without actually going through them."

King Endymion sighed. "Dealing with Ranma was always a pain. I see a thousand years hasn't changed _that_ even if he calls himself Wiseman. It doesn't help that he thinks he met you before and you did something dishonorable to win against him."

"I have no memory of anything even remotely like that." Pluto then looked at the Time Gates. "Time Gates, observer mode. Show us Mare Serenitatis of this Earth's Moon 14,000 years ago."

The closed doors of the Time Gates fogged over and an image of a desolate moon landscape appeared.

"Just as your youmized counterpart claimed," said King Endymion frowning.

"But I've checked before and the Palace was there!"

"How did you phrase it?"

Pluto's eyes widened. "Show us the Palace of the Moon Kingdom 14,000 years ago."

The image shifted to a beautiful palace surrounded by lush gardens people milling about.

Pluto sighed. "Ok, let's end this. Show us when I confronted Ranma and threatened his family to surrender."

The Time Gates went totally grey and then black with a read out in white.

"'Unable to comply, Data in error?' What?" asked a puzzled Pluto.

"You asked it to show when _you_ confronted Ranma."

"I thought that my memories had been tampered with but this…," Pluto narrowed her eyes. "Someone was imitating me."

King Endymion shook his head. "That wouldn't explain why your younger self was able to leave the Time Gates."

Pluto frowned. "I just had a very very nasty thought," she said nervously. "Time Gates. Show us my younger self the year after Sailor Moon woke up."

"'Unable to comply, Data in error?' What's that mean?" asked King Endymion a cold chill running down his spine.

Pluto scowled. "It means I'm not the Sailor Pluto I think I am. It also means you may be in serious danger."

King Endymion suddenly found himself in the palace gardens of Crystal Tokyo. "What? Pluto? PLUTO!" After a moment of silence the King of Earth walked back to the palace.

**~*~*Jusenkyo, China*~*~**

"General Huang, Wěi Fāng?" asked a blond haired young man in a gray uniform with red trim as he nervously approached, the woman Black Wiseman had called Zoisite next to him.

"Yes?" responded the general and Wěi Fāng.

"I am Jadeite, the chief operative of Chapter 13, the Phoenix Republic's equivalent of MI6, CIA, and KGB," smiled the man. "Black Wiseman recommended I come here personally as a gesture of just how seriously we are taking this."

"Jadeite," said Zoisite pulling out two little glowing balls, "Black Wiseman said to give you this in case you need to quickly return to London." She gave Jadeite the one that was glowing more and then disappeared.

"Where did she go?" asked Wěi Fāng.

"Likely back to Tokyo as he...I mean she wouldn't have needed one of these to return to the Phoenix Republic," commented Jadeite gesturing to the glowing ball in his hand.

"I see what Eclipse meant about the people of Phoenix Republic not needing Stargates," commented General Huang.

"Only the old Shitennou can do that and normally we need to store up ki to do it." Jadeite looked at the glowing ball in hand. "But this is far more ki then I need to return to London directly." Jadeite's eyes widened. "Of course, I forgot where I was. Guide!"

"Yes?" replied the Guide curious.

"Did any of the general's men fall into the Pool of Drowned Youma?"

"Yes, five fall into that pool. They have been staying on the edge of valley near Phoenix tribe's mountain."

"You mean that mountain?" asked Jadeite pointing to a mountain in the distance.

"Yes that is the mountain, but how did stranger know?"

Jadeite smiled. "Ki like all forms of energy moves from high to low concentration. That mountain practically radiates ki." Jadeite then walked at a brisk pace to when the five soldiers were transferring the glowing ball from his right to left hand as he continued. "As new transformed youma the soldiers would instinctively head for the place in the valley when the background ki was the strongest so as to sate their hunger without having to directly feed."

Jadeite stopped and knelt before the five vaguely female hominoid beings in tattered uniforms now before him. "I must say you are in far better shape then I expected," said Jadeite extending his right hand. "You needn't worry I have been supplying entire clans for thousands of years. I've had to deal with worse and this time I have back up," he said opening his left hand to reveal the little ball.

Five faces looked at each other and as one grasped the extended arm.

"Easy," said Jadeite smiling, "don't gorge. There is plenty of life ki to go around."

"Much better," said one of the soldiers.

"I must compliment your resolve though I have seen worse in my long life," said Jadeite as the five hands let go of his arm. "You are now up to a level where you can go to an area of lower background ki without feeling starved."

"You said _thousands_ of years," commented Wěi Fāng frowning.

"Yes I did," said Jadeite frowning slightly as he stood. "Oh well, I guess it would have come out eventually."

"What would have to come out, groundling?" asked a female voice from above.

"Show some respect, Kiima," fumed Wěi Fāng looking up at a winged woman above them. "Jadeite was sent here by Black Wiseman himself and I suspect is here to formally establish relations."

That's alright, Wěi Fāng," said Jadeite looking up and smiling at Kiima. "My long service to Queen Beryl has made me indifferent to such insults. Besides she does ask a valid question. What was eventually going to come out is the fact that contrary to what you have been led to believe Beryl and her Shitennou are _not_ the decedents of the original humans that led the fight against the Moon Kingdom."

"If you are not their decedents then what… no that is impossible!" exclaimed General Huang taking in step back her eyes widening.

"Quite possible though I don't know _how_ Queen Serenity did it," commented Jadeite his features turning to a scowl. "It's a pity she didn't do it to herself because then she would be alive for us to _thank_ her for the 12,000 year hell I, my fellow Shitennou, and the youma have had to live through under _Queen_ Beryl," growled Jadeite a red aura forming around him. Jadeite then composed himself and the aura faded from view. "But that is the _past_. We are here to work toward a better future."

"But how is that possible?" asked the Guide. "The winged woman with Purple Wiseman claimed she was Lord Sa Fulang from the future."

"Actually Guide, she said she was what my Lord became in one future 1,000 years hence," commented Kiima. "That implies the future can be changed."

"Yes, the future can be changed but not the past," replied Jadeite. "Nothing we do will change Purple Wiseman's past."

"Like a path in the woods," commented Kiima. "Purple Wiseman comes from one and tells us of a danger on the path he took so that we will take the other."

"There _is_ something isn't there?" asked General Huang concern coloring her voice.

"Yes," responded Jedeite. "The problem is for Purple Wiseman and company it was nearly 1,000 years ago. The details are a muddled mess but we do know the result-90 percent of the world's people died and the world itself in what amount to a new ice age. From what they do remember and what is happening we think the remnants of the Moon Kingdom were and are responsible. That is why we are pushing for alliances with _any_ government that has the slightest clue on how to understand, exploit, and more importantly use what knowledge of Moon Kingdom technology we do have."

"When?" asked General Huang her face a mask.

"If events had followed their original path, roughly two and a half years from now. With the changes made by Black Wiseman we simply don't know." Jedeite looked up into the sky. "We think the ultimate force behind the events that originally lead up to that disaster is whatever survived the Moon Kingdom's war of 12,000 years ago." Jedeite frowned. "Black Wiseman doesn't know if those events were the product of accident or design but he has been hard at work at coming up with Sun Tzu based methods of neutralizing the forces Neo-Queen Serenity remembered."

"You claim to be as immortal as my Lord Sa Fulang?" asked Kiima narrowing her eyes.

Jadeite chuckled. "I am flattered but no. While Beryl and the remaining Shitennou are immune to old age and are extremely tough we can still die by violence." Jadeite again frowned. "Shitennou Nephrite's pointless and useless death proved that."

"So Black Wiseman sent you here as his representative?" asked Kiima.

Jadeite laughed. "No. I am here on behalf of the Phoenix Republic's government not one Advisor of one clan. My role right now is to gather and disseminate information so that the various Advisors in our fledgling government have something to work with in trying to integrate our nation into your world while at the same time setting the foundations for later Ambassadors; nothing more nothing less."

"Since you have come to disseminate information then you will have no problem telling me what I want to know," boomed an authoritative voice from above.

Kiima landed and knelt as the owner of the voice descended and landed. "My lord."

"Since you and Purple Wiseman are family I have no problems," commented Jadeite.

Lord Sa Fulang's frown deepened. "The person that fell into the Pool of Drowned Female Phoenix Mountain Warrior."

"Roda? She was a youma that was so disgusted with Beryl's incompetence she renounced her clan. Normally a clanless youma is seen to have no value not even as food but Black Wiseman goaded her into coming here. She fell into a pool and then thanked the spirit presence of Jusenkyo for giving her life when she had come to Eclipse looking for death. It was only much later that the significance of that particular pool was revealed."

"I see," said Lord Sa Fulang. "You said Purple Wiseman and I are family."

"I'm not privy on the details but I was told by many of the youma that witnessed it that Purple Wiseman became so enraged at your counterpart having to go through her life cycle early that he actually attacked Neo-Queen Serenity with forced ki imbuement." Jadeite winced. "They said they will never forget the scream she made or the initial look in her eyes when Black Wiseman stopped the assault. They said you died commenting on your relationship with Purple Wiseman, turned into a golden egg, and were reborn as a girl. She then ran up to the now female Purple Wiseman and they then left."

Lord Sa Fulang nodded in thought. "These comments on our relationship. Do you know what they were?"

Jadeite nodded. "Killer, friend, mother and father, and finally mate."

"Mate?" asked Kiima. "But I saw no evidence that Purple Wiseman was one of the Phoenix tribe."

"Purple Wiseman was born human male and fell into the Spring of Drowned Girl," responded Jadeite a smirk beginning to form on his face.

"Purple Wiseman is a Groundling?!" yelled Kiima.

"If you mean that like me he doesn't have wings, yes," Jadeite now grinned. "But like me he doesn't need them."

"Doesn't need…" Kiima stopped her eyes growing to the size of saucers as Jadeite levitated a full foot off the ground.

"Sailor Moon was a Groundling as well as a boosted piece of food before she became Eclipse and she was able to fight me to a standstill." Jadeite's scowled. "Can you say the same, _little girl_?"

Kiima started to shake with range as a vein pulsed on her forehead. "Little girl? I am warrior of Phoenix Mountain."

"With your permission, Lord Sa Fulang, would you like to see what _this_ Groundling that considers himself _inferior_ to Black Wiseman can do?" asked Jadeite a cruel smirk forming on his face. "I promise I won't permeably damage her though she may need to mend for a couple of weeks."

"I am curious to your abilities and Kiima does have the right to defend your insult. You may proceed."

"Thank you," responded Jadeite as he chucked an energy ball at Kiima.

"You miss…" was all Kiima got out before Jadeite's fist was in her gut.

"It was a distraction," responded Jadeite as he back handed Kiima.

Kiima stumbled a bit but quickly took to the air.

"Not that easy," said Jadeite as a circle formed behind him and he disappeared.

"What?" asked Kiima who suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Need to pay attention more, my dear," said Jadeite as he spun Kiima around and punched her in the face.

Kiima quickly reacted by slashing at Jadeite's face only to have her hand grabbed at the wrist. "You've gotten too use at fighting at a distance," said Jadeite calmly as he caught the other hand by the wrist. "You have potential but like me you need to learn to throw away your biases. I didn't take Sailor Moon seriously due to my long dealings with Beryl who had colored my view of human females to the point I saw them as slow witted weak things." Jadeite narrowed his eyes. "Thanks to Wiseman's friends I now know better. You need the same lesson in humility and reality I did; just be thankful yours doesn't involve being stuck in a crystal prison unable to move even an inch. Though that doesn't mean it isn't going to hurt."

Kiima screamed as a high electrical current flowed through her body. "Yang ki in the right hand, yin in the left," commented Jadeite. After a few moments Kiima slumped in Jadeite's hands groaning at which point he descended. "There are many youma clans that would be proud to call you an ally but like me you have let bias cloud your ability to fight effectively."

As he landed Jadeite let go of a wrist and lifted Kiima's head. "There is no shame in your defeat for you did not just fight me but even through he has been dead for over 25 centuries you also fought the wisdom of the greatest general who ever lived. 'He who is reckless can be killed. He who is cowardly can be captured. He who is quick tempered can be insulted. He who is moral can be shamed. He who is fond of the people can be worried. These five traits are faults in a general, and are disastrous in warfare.'"

"Who?" asked a groggy Kiima.

"Sun Tzu," said General Huang.

"Even here we have heard of _him_," said Sa Fulang, "He was the only groundling I every considered my equal because no matter how many times I went through my death-rebirth cycle I still heard whispers of his genius. I had thought he, like myself, was immortal."

"No, while his wisdom is immortal the man himself is long dead," said Jadeite sadly as he led the groggy Kiima to Sa Fulang. "However, that wisdom has become the entire foundation of the Martial arts Ryu the two Wisemen practice."

"Speaking of which is there the matter of me convincing my superiors that the Phoenix Republic and their Stargates are not major security risks," commented General Huang. "If I can't convince them they might send someone less understanding who might…make some bad choices in handling the situation."

Jadeite nodded. "I think I can address such fears. While visual and audio communication take very little power the transport of physical objects takes far more. Even with the weakened barrier the best Beryl could manage was to transport one youma a week to Earth. Wiseman has had better results with his Stargate but it is on the order of a squad a week. Mass invasion even under Beryl wasn't on the agenda."

"But these youma with their ability to change shape could assume the form of anyone and take over the government from within," commented General Huang.

Jadeite weakly smiled. "Under Beryl, I tried something like that with an ordinary store clerk. You know how long before the exchange was spotted? Less then two days. Yes, the youma can assume the form but they wouldn't be able to mimic the personality, nor are they able to truly duplicate unique physical features like voice, internal scars, and the like." Jadeite then narrowed his eyes. "Besides it isn't the Phoenix Republic you should be worried about but rather whoever was giving out fragments of the Moon Kingdom's old technology with no manuals on how to use it to underage girls as if they were free candy samples." Jadeite scowled. "Twelve thousand years ago that very same technology allowed _eight_ people to hold off a million battle trained youma long enough for their leader to do something insane killing over 250 billion people in the process."

Jadeite then looked in the sky a distant look on his face. "I still wonder if Beryl's elder fraternal twin sister Morganite hadn't been assassinated how things would have been different. Morganite could have used herself as an example of how even through she was only one-sixteenth youma her power rivaled that of any youma of her time. She would have been a living symbol of how the fears that the boosted Moon Kingdom royal lines would weaken the strong ki of Earth humans were unfounded." Jadeite shook his head as he gave a humorless chuckle. "Does lend credence to Wiseman and Eclipse's theory of a third faction being behind the war."

General Huang paled. "Beryl is one-sixteenth youma?"

"Hmm? Oh yes she is, though she has never showed _any_ of her youma heritage. The Metaria being that chose Beryl as her host is so naive she thinks Beryl is a pure human. Something wrong? You look pale."

"That is because for that to be true _youma_ would have to _be_ human."

"What?"

"Basic genetics," said General Huang. "My father was a farmer all his life. Cross breed animals of different species and you get _sterile_ offspring. For youma and humans to have fertile offspring they would essentially have to be the same species."

"No they wouldn't," said Wěi Fāng gesturing to the pools. "We have used Jusenkyo for centuries to turn animals into human women and so add their animal traits into our tribe."

"That means these pools are effectively a form of genetic engineering," commented General Huang frowning.

"Strange that such powerful technology would be developed and then abandoned," commented Jadeite who then glanced as the Guide. "How old are these pools?"

"Oldest known pool is Pool of Drowned Ashura at 4,000 years," said the Guide. "But there are pools of unknown age; they are likely older."

"But not on the order of tens of thousands?" asked Jadeite casually.

"Guide doubt it."

Jadeite nodded. "At least we can throw out the possible theory that the Moon Kingdom was somehow behind these pools—the age is way wrong. These pools would have to be on the order of 62,000 years old for that to even be remotely viable." Jadeite squatted to pick up some soil and rub it between his gloved fingers. "Still like to know what was being attempted here," he said standing.

**~*~*Phoenix Republic*~*~**

"Aren't you going to attempt to go back to the Dojo again?" asked Beryl as she sparred with a youma.

"I realized that for the first time in nearly a millennium I didn't have a long term plan," commented Purple Wiseman. "All I had was grab everyone from my time, go home, and…well that was it."

"Even my plans as queen of the Dark Kingdom had more substance," scowled Beryl catching the youma in a foot sweep.

"Not much more," grumbled the youma as she rolled back into a sparring position.

Beryl winced but kept her eyes on the youma she was sparring with. "I noticed that you sound well _happy_."

The girlish Sa Fulang chuckled. "It reminds him of Nemira."

"Martial artist turning up seemingly out of the woodwork with weird styles," commented Purple Wiseman a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "Challenges that pushed me to improve on a nearly _daily_ basis. Yes, at the time it seemed to be non stop chaos but it wasn't the tedium of boredom Nemesis has become in the last few centuries."

"A moment ago you seemed to be in a panic," commented Beryl as she blocked a punch.

"Oh I was until I remembered the worst possible Wiseman."

"Oh and just who would that have been?" asked one of the youma watching the sparring match.

"Doom Phantom and he would have been a what not a who." Purple Wiseman sighed. "In his timeline no one found the cave the Jakokusuishou was in. With no one to activate the Jakokusuishou the yin ki in the Ginzuishou built up until it woke up—creating the Doom Phantom. Compared to _it_, the undead Wiseman were _sane_," said Purple Wiseman shuttering.

Beryl nodded in understanding as she back flipped away from the youma. "All the yin emotion of what people were left on Earth and since he was energy rather then a person, Neo-Queen Serenity couldn't truly defeat him."

"Yes and…kuso," Sa Fulang slapped her head. "We are total baka. One of the clues to what Sailor Pluto of Neo-Queen Serenity's time might be has been sitting right in front of us."

"But if that is what she is, we are left with a more worrisome question: what type of ki formed her and more importantly what are her real goals?" asked Beryl as the youma closed the distance.

"I have theories on the first but the second…still working on that. On more immediate matters you seem to be… _driven_."

"I've seen one of my futures, Purple Wiseman. Sailor Nemesis is on par with any of the current Sailor Sensei but even with my limited skills I can tell the ki she has is her own," commented Beryl as she grabbed the youma she was sparring with and falling to her back rolled it to the edge of the circle of spectators. "I'm not going to become her by continuing to be the soft boosted thing I have been for the last 12,000 years. Also based on what she said for whatever reason someone is going to be soon sending us little joys from _other_ Crystal Tokyos."

"Like this world needs more than one Nitwit Queen Simpleton," growled Purple Wiseman. "Just don't break them when they do show up as their futures need them to fix the damage they caused. Also do not trust _any_ of the undead Wisemen; they are too hung up on killing the Nitwit to think straight."

"While you aren't," responded Belyl as she hit the youma she was sparring with in the face with a fury of fists causing it to collapse to the ground in a heap.

"'Killing the enemy is a matter of arousing anger in men;' and 'Therefore, the best warfare strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, next is to attack alliances, next is to attack the army, and the worst is to attack a walled city.' says Sun Tzu," Purple Wiseman coldly. "Even when the people of Nemesis directed their anger and hate to Sailor Pluto, killing her was _never_ on our list of things to do. By the way if that was a Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken it was ridiculously slow."

"Of course it was slow; my mind may know how to do it but my body still doesn't. Now that you know your Sailor Pluto is dead what will you do?" asked Beryl as the youma on the ground tried to push herself up.

"Someone or something is still guarding the Time Gates of my timeline. I want to know if it was responsible and if so by how much so we will all know…if and by how much to make it _hurt_." Purple Wiseman then turned toward the youma Beryl was sparring with. "Speaking of pain are you sure you should be continuing? You can barely stand."

"For the first time since battle with the Moon Kingdom one of us _finally_ has a chance to return the pain we have felt under her rule," hissed the youma. "Learning the small part of the Sun Tzu Ryu that has been shoved in her head is just a bonus."

"In your case that bonus is _all_ you have," said Purple Wiseman calmly. "You are making the same mistake my first wife, Akane, did—you are letting your anger drive your actions. In your case it is even worse as there is no style to what you are doing."

The youma snorted. "Don't you think I know this? My clan isn't known for its fighting prowess. Even if I can't hurt her I can bring _something_ back to my clan."

"The martial arts is only _part_ of the Ryu; the core is the teachings of Sun Tzu himself," said Purple Wiseman in an annoyed tone.

The youma narrowed its eyes and then smiled. "Of course," it said clawing at Beryl.

Beryl caught the hand by the wrist but it twisted in her grip allowing the hand to touch her arm.

"What? You're draining me?" asked Beryl startled letting the youma's hand go only to have her wrist grabbed.

"'Attack where they are not prepared, go out to where they do not expect.' so says Sun Tzu," said the youma its grin growing as it grabbed Beryl's other wrist.

Beryl grimaced. "The one attack I never even considered because of my arrogance."

"I could drain more than your surface ki," hissed the youma.

"But you won't as that would mean becoming _intimate_ with Beryl against her will," said Purple Wiseman his voice cold and hard.

"Against _her_ will?" asked the youma angrily turning its head toward Purple Wiseman. "What about the will of our Clanheads, our Advisors, our Guardians? She used her control over our ability to absorb ki to force us so why shouldn't I force her. Because it would make me like she use to be?"

"No, nothing as simple minded as that," grimaced Beryl. "'He who is reckless can be killed. He who is cowardly can be captured. He who is quick tempered can be insulted. He who is moral can be shamed. He who is fond of the people can be worried. These five traits are _faults_ in a general, and are _disastrous_ in warfare.' so says Sun Tzu."

The youma's eyes widened in shock and her head turned toward Beryl as her clawed hands let go of her wrists. Beryl fell on her hands and knees. "Cut it a little close there."

"I let what you did to my clan…to all our clans cloud my judgment."

"There is an old Japanese saying—even a Buddha will get angry if you slap him three times," said Purple Wiseman. "I lost it dealing with Neo-Queen Serenity and you saw how well that worked out." Purple Wiseman then let out a bitter laugh. "You know what the saddest thing is? I told her that I was willing to go even further and then I had to _explain_ what in youma terms I would have been doing. In some respects Neo-Queen Serenity is even _more_ clueless then I ever was!"

Purple Wiseman then shifted his stance. "But my people _need_ her. Despite all that has been revealed her determined optimism remains. It is no longer the utopian inspired idiocy I dealt with some 1,000 years ago but it is still there. I found out early on that I didn't need to hurt her—her own bungling has created enough to do that without my input. No, my main concern has been keeping the 'come back to bite you on the behind' issues to a minimum so she doesn't wind up emotional broken. She is no use to _anyone_ if she winds up an emotional wreck like Soun."

Beryl staggered to her feet chuckling. "So instead of hurting her you have to keep her from hurting herself."

"And it has been hard," chuckled Sa Fulang. "My mate hasn't had this great a challenge in _centuries_. Besides if we can keep her from going Soun on us she will make an excellent addition to the Black Moon Clan."

"What of her friends?" asked Beryl.

Purple Wiseman shifted again. "It was a request by two youma centuries ago. They said if the ability to make artificial beings ever occurred they wanted their memory crystals to be used as the template. Venetici and Aquatici finally made that dream a reality. We have that option for her friends when they want to truly return to the land of the living."

"When? Don't you mean if?"

"No, I do not."

**~*~***Hikawa Shrine, two weeks later***~*~**

Rei's grandfather frowned as the picked flower in his hand wilted and died. "Black Wisemen means well but this is a mistake," he muttered under his breath. The Rei of the future had no personal life ki to power her fire readings and so at an unconscious level was draining the surrounding area's life energy. This in turn gave the shine an 'off' feeling to it due to the ki void the readings were creating. As unsettling as it was in his warm water human form the feeling as youma Jiji was far worse but he had to take that form so as to explain the ki void as Rei called it.

Looking at the calendar he scowled crushing the already disintegrating flower in his hand. For the area's ki to be drained like this the fire readings had to be pushed to their limits…far beyond what Rei could do but well within _Sailor Mars_' abilities. Using his training to center himself Grandfather Hino walked to the main meditation chambers where Rei was sitting looking into the flames. "Hello Grandfather Jiji," said Rei looking up at him confusion and some degree of anger in her eyes.

"Something wrong, Rei?" he asked managing to keep the cold anger he felt out of his voice though he felt it in the pit of his stomach.

"Don't you feel the emptiness of ki here?"

Grandfather Hino internally winced. "Yes, but as I explained I still need to learn…"

"Why is the ki void strongest around me and not you?" asked Rei scowling.

'Kuso, she knows that things are not adding up,' thought Grandfather Hino as he sat down across from Rei. "What prompted this?" he asked dreading the answer.

"A dream…no _nightmare_ where you said I wasn't your granddaughter but a _thing_…a walking corpse animated by the magic of a long gone kingdom who has nothing but anger and hate for those not like her in what passes for her heart," replied Rei her eyes starting to tear up.

Grandfather Hino paled as he realized it was far worse then he thought. Sitting across from Rei he sighed deeply. "It was believed that by re-experiencing what it was to live again you would abandon the masks you had made for yourselves when you started remembering who you were. I was hoping we would get a full month…not the two weeks we got."

"And we all thought this was a _good_ idea?" asked Rei raising an eyebrow.

"Oh there were misgivings but up till now it worked. The four of you were back to your old selves and were perfectly accepting of your friend's status as Eclipse." Grandfather Hino shifted slightly. "You seem to be handling this very well."

"It is obvious we all wanted this idea to work," said Rei frowning as she looked at the floor. "So now what?"

"That was the problem with all this…there was no real detailed what to do when their memories start coming back part."

Rei's face slowly raised her head her expression showing her temper was starting to come to fore. "Why doesn't _that_ surprise me?" she asked rhetorically.

"Because when we screw up it seems to be real humdingers," said a familiar voice.

Turning they saw, "_Chronos Aeon_," sighed Rei. "I take my ki drain attracted your attention."

"Rei," said Grandfather Hino in a cold harsh voice as he slowly stood. "I don't know _what_ that is but I can tell you one thing…it is _not_ _Chronos Aeon. There is no active ki in her at all. In fact, there is not even a true physical presence."_

_"__What?"_

_"__Essentially a ghost only a lot more powerful."_

_"__Ghosts belong to the past; specters on the other hand belong to the future even if they are futures that for your grandfather will never happen."_

"Such as Crystal Tokyo?" asked Grandfather Hino narrowing his eyes.

"Such as the Crystal Tokyo with the Wiseman of Wisemen," grinned Sailor Pluto as she disappeared.

"I think I better make a phone call," said Grandfather Hino.

**~*~*SRW*~*~**


	19. Chap 19 I, Doom Phantom

Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 19 – I, Doom Phantom (teaser)

Even though I was born so to speak from the Neo-bitch's Cleansing I have no actual body though I could make one. Thing is before I could do so someone named Saotome Ranma found the Jakokusuishou, the yin-yang counterpart of the Ginzuishou. Figured he couldn't do any worse then me so I just sat and stew entertaining myself with images of slowly killing the Neo-bitch.

Much later I got a vision of all the other people who could have gotten the Jakokusuishou and I was, to say the least, disappointed. Even later Ranma found out about a history where I did get a body and that was worse. To be reborn again like a character in some video game only to get a major smack down by the Neo-bitch—wonderful future there…not.

Problem is I wasn't the only one born through the Cleansing. I have to guess that it is part of that whole yin-yang thing that drove the Moon Kingdom. Which brings me to the reason I am finally making my body and risking being a punching bag for Ranma or as he likes to call himself Wiseman—my counterpart is _here_ in this time this world. Their can only be one reason for that; she wants to bring Crystal Tokyo here.

Ok Wiseman, it is time you met me and found out that even in your world the Doom Phantom exists.

**~*~*SRW*~*~**

If there was any doubt now it is gone: Neo–Queen Serenity was an idiot. Though to be fair I should have realized that I had a counterpart and it would be _him_. Ok, he seems to actually forming a body. Wonderful. Joy. Hammer a spike in my head while you're at it—like I don't have enough headaches dealing with a creator who is on par with Genma. Ok Doom Phantom, you and I are going to talk now and if I don't like what I hear I'm going to Death Scream your sorry form all over the landscape.

**~*~*SRW*~*~**

Ranma in his standard silks noticed Wicked Lady pulling out the Ginzuishou attracting the attention of Neo-Queen Serenity. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know. I feel something but it is hard to put into words."

"What the…" Ranma said as a black form rose from the crystal growing as it moved.

"Kuso, it can't be…" whispered Purple Wiseman as the black ink like blob reformed into man wearing a robe a darker color then his own sitting cross legged about a foot off the ground a silver ball between his hands.

"Ok, what is this?" asked Akane.

"The Worst Wiseman," hissed Purple Wiseman. "The Doom Phantom."

"He's like Sailor Moon," said Usagi.

"No, he is far worse," growled Purple Wiseman as ball of blood red ki formed in his left hand.

"Hello, Ranma," commented the figure in a raspy, harsh, and nearly guttural voice. "Didn't expect to find out that I existed in your world your history did you?"

"No, but your plan to kill everyone on the planet stops here and now, Doom Phantom."

The Doom Phantom gave a creepy laugh. "I assure you that is _not_ my goal."

"I would believe Pops long before I would believe you."

"Let me guess," said Usagi narrowing her eyes. "You are all the yin ki Neo-Queen Serenity removed from everyone."

The figure turned. "Why yes, Sailor… What the hell?!"

"Something wrong?" asked Usagi as she grinned a feral smile. "Don't you know what youma are?"

"But you're her…" stammered the figure pointing to Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Hey guys," said Nabiki running out to the yard. "Grandfather Hino called and said we…"

"Have a problem?" finished Ranma. "Little late with the news, Nabs."

"Somehow I don't think this is what he was calling about," growled Purple Wiseman.

"No, it isn't," commented a familiar voice causing nearly everyone to turn.

"Sailor Pluto." hissed the Doom Phantom as he spun around to face the voice.

"As I as about to say, he wasn't calling about this bundle of idiocy," commented Sailor Pluto as she narrowed her eyes. "He was calling about me."

"_She_'s just like Sailor Moon," whispered Usagi. "Sailor Pluto's powers made manifest. Made…human."

"Just as the Doom Phantom is the yin ki the Nitwit Cleansed made manifest," commented Purple Wiseman his eyes glowing red.

"She is the reason I came out," commented the Doom Phantom gesturing to Pluto. "I am not letting her make this into Crystal Tokyo part two."

"Based on what I have seen so far the Grey Moon Clan has no reason to trust _either_ of you two," snapped Usagi.

"_Grey_ Moon Clan?" asked the Phantom.

"My clan, Gloom Tampon," responded Ranma a silver ball forming between his hands.

"What? But you're not supposed to be…"

"Wiseman?" finished Ranma as a black robe suddenly appeared around him. "Well, this is not your past. Things are different and…"

"I HAVE HAD IT!" screamed the Queen of Crystal Tokyo pulling out a henshi stick. "MOON POWER MAKE UP!"

"I am tired of being manipulated," she snarled. "I am tired of finding out nearly everything I was told was a lie. But beyond all of it I am tied of having my mistakes being shoved in my face. You two idiots are pure thought pure energy? Great, then I can cut loose on _both_ of you without worrying about killing your sorry asses! MOON HEALING ESCALATION DOUBLEPLAY!"

**~*~*SRW*~*~**

Pluto slammed into the wall surrounding the dojo's yard. 'Crap. I was so concerned with either of the two Wisemen that I never…shit' thought Pluto dodging the razor sharp tiara thrown by her ranting Queen who was now trying her best to make a hole in the Tendo compound's brick wall with the Doom Phantom.

"Don't you want to know?" asked the Doom Phantom as Neo-Queen Serenity slammed him into the wall again.

"Know what? That I screwed up. That you are the all the negative emotions that I removed from people? That even if no one ever found the counterpart to the Ginzuishou I would have still had to deal with a Wiseman?" say asked continuing to slam the Doom Phantom in to the wall.

"No. None of that. Don't you want to know why I as well as all the undead Wisemen were so keen to go for the everybody dies option?"

"What?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity as she held the Doom Phantom by his robe in mid stoke of slamming him into the wall.

"The crystals are connected and while slightly muffled _I_ also saw Ranma's vision of those other worlds those other histories. I figured out that I could see what would have been if I had been Wiseman. Didn't like the show at all but I finally understood why we were doing what we were doing."

"What's there to understand?" asked Ranma. "You like all the undead versions are nuttier then a pecan orchard."

"Oh I am sure that is what her Wiseman believes as well. It is a lot easier then the alternative."

"What alternative?" asked Ranma feeling something in the pit of his stomach.

"If you had ever read Patrick Henry you would know what alternative, _Wiseman_," stated the Doom Phantom his glowing eyes getting brighter.

"Pops didn't exactly see to my education so you will have to enlighten me, Doomsy."

"'Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!'" responded the Doom Phantom.

"What?" growled Neo-Queen Serenity. "What gives you the right…"

"If you have to ask that question you haven't been paying attention," interrupted Ranma. "As much as it pains me of all the Wisemen in that being formed from all the yin ki of every human that remained on Earth he at least can make a claim to having the right. But you said that is not your goal here."

"I could feel the passion the Ranma Wiseman I knew had through the link between the crystals. No matter how long it took he _would_ defeat the Neo-bitch and Liberty would return to the Earth. Best of all he would make the one responsible _pay_. In any case the Neo-bitch _suffers_."

"Cheery fellow. Is he available for parties?" asked Nabiki sarcastically.

"He is the yin aspect of the people that remained on Earth," commented Ranma. "If anything he is more personable then I expected."

The Doom Phantom gave another creepy laugh. "You forget one of the aspects of yin is nurturing. Love and compassion have yin components as much as hate and anger do."

"You are capable of feeling love and compassion?" asked Nabiki. "I'd sooner believe Genma then that, Doom Phantom."

"As much as I hate to admit it, he's right, Nabs," said Ranma. "_All_ emotions have both yin and yang aspects to them. Ranma looked at Pluto. "Which brings up the issue of where the _yang_ aspects of hate, anger, depression, and the like went."

Pluto smiled sinisterly. "No wonder your counterpart gave her problems. When you put your mind to it, you see what others miss."

"I do want to know one thing. When did you wake up?" asked Ranma.

Pluto frowned. "I think it was almost with my creation but for much of my existence my intelligence was alien to my human creators." Pluto scowled glaring at the transformed Neo-Queen Serenity. "But your thrice cursed Clensing changed that. I understood what it was to be human, to have human feelings, wants, and needs, but my Guardian was dead. I briefly went insane out of loneliness and created a companion in her image…that would do anything for her Queen. When I regained my sanity and realized what my creation had done I eliminated her and created this version."

"All this time I have been hating a _thing_," hissed Purple Wiseman shaking with clear anger, "A ki construct created by a relic of a long dead Kingdom that had even less understanding of human relationships then I once did."

"And here I thought you can come back to ensure that Crystal Tokyo happened," laughed the Doom Phantom. "You're here for revenge."

Pluto now laughed. It was a dark and painful thing as unsettling as the Doom Phantom's. "Revenge? No because part of this is my fault. If I had made a less…obedient servant perhaps this would not have escalated as badly as it did." Pluto glanced at the Doom Phantom. "I'm here in my original role—as a source of information."

"Riiiiiiight," said the Doom Phantom who then glanced at Neo-Queen Serenity. "If I am reading her reaction correctly she doesn't trust _either_ of us."

"Why should she?" asked Usagi. "One of you is one of the many possible other Wisemen that have must kill Neo-Queen Serenity no matter what the cost on their things to do list while the other is such blundering incompetent that she makes the Nitwit look _good_."

Pluto's left eye started twitching while the Doom Phantom again laughed. "I don't know how she came about but I _like_ this version of Sailor Moon. Unlike our version she actually has a functioning brain and is not afraid to voice it."

"I am _not_ Sailor Moon," growled Usagi narrowing her eyes. "Not anymore. I am Eclipse, head of the Grey Moon Clan." Usagi took a deep breath. "Advisor Wiseman! Any ideas?"

"On how to deal with this latest mess?" replied Ranma. "Not even the beginnings of one…well a practical one at any rate. Unlike Kuno Wiseman there is no physical body for me to use my techniques against and I am not about to try and use a ki attack on either of them. DP Wiseman I don't trust at all and likely never will. As for TG Pluto you called it—she is even more of a blunder baka then her airheaded Queen."

"Blunder baka?" retorted Pluto.

"How was Mistress 9 in your history defeated?" asked Ranma.

"With the Moon Kingdom's Holy Grail," responded Pluto angrily. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"And how is this Holy Grail made?" asked Ranma.

"With the pure heart crystals of three of the Sailor Senshi."

"Which three?"

"Uranus, Neptune, and," Pluto pulled the gem from her Time Staff which turned into a pearl that she then shoved in Ranma's face, "the first Sailor Pluto."

"Kuso," Ranma and Usagi said in unison.

"But if that was used to form the Holy Grail…," began Usagi.

"What happened to the other Sailor Pluto?" finished Ranma.

Pluto blinked. "You thought…" Pluto then burst out laughing. "Oh that is rich. Looks like she was one step ahead of even the Wiseman among Wisemen."

"What can I say?" asked Ranma sheepishly. "This whole mess involves reading people—something that thanks to Pops I am not an expert in." Ranma shifted and his voice became hard. "But if I have learned one thing out of this whole mess it is that most people are motivated by their own selfish motives then the kind of idealistic idiocy Sailor Moon spouted."

"Do tell," commented the Doom Phantom. "Does that include your own clan?"

Usagi gave a sharp laugh. "Of course it does. Do you think he is like I was?" Usagi scowled. "I'm not like her," she said gesturing to the Queen of Crystal Tokyo, "not anymore. Beryl has merely replaced conquer the world with connecting with her reincarnated sister. Not every youma clan is going to forget that I was born human…or that I put lot of their fellows in the ground as Sailor Moon. Being without a purpose doesn't mean Pharaoh 90 stopped being a threat. And on top of that and a host of other matters there is the idea that behind all of this mess is whatever survived the fall of the Moon Kingdom."

The Doom Phantom shifted. "I see. In the futures I saw I was able to corrupt Small Lady into Wicked Lady by altering her memories so she only saw the bad." The Doom Phantom gave his creepy laugh gesturing to Wicked Lady. "This version has done a better job without my meddling but she is total amateur hour compared to you."

Usagi gave the Doom Phantom a feral smile. "You think I am deluding myself?" Usagi narrowed her eyes. "I know my flaws and faults, Doom Phantom," Usagi said with such venom that the Doom Phantom took a step back. "Just because I seen my own inner darkness and have some degree of self hatred doesn't mean I have stopped trying to make the world a better place!"

"Self hatred?" asked a shocked Neo-Queen Serenity

"Damn right. You have any idea what is like to find your own future was to be an idealist bumbling hormonal boosted piece of borderline clanless idiocy? To have any hope of having anything even resembling a normal life trampled into the ground, dug up, and trampled again? And better yet on top of all that joy you have to monitor the yin ki the freaking rock her daughter brought with her has been dumping into the local environment."

The Doom Phantom laughed. "And I thought I had a hostility streak for the self proclaimed Queen of Crystal Tokyo."

Wicked Lady pulled out the Ginzuishou of her time staring at it in shock. "You mean this has been dumping yin ki into the surrounding area?"

"Yes but the Jakokusuishou has been counteracting it via my yang ki," commented Purple Wiseman.

Wicked Lady frowned as she looked at Usagi. "You knew!"

Usagi laughed. "Of course I knew and so did every person able to feel the regional ki."

"Saved us months in getting the Stargate to the level it is currently at," commented Ranma. "As long as the over all ki stayed in balance it wasn't a problem."

Purple Wiseman chuckled. "Ah, the naïvety of youth."

"Say what?" responded Ranma his tone becoming icy.

"Just because the local ki is in balance doesn't mean the Nitwit's little rock isn't having _some_ influence. After all you and Herb haven't gone looking for the pail yet have you?"

"Why didn't you tell us this?" asked Ranma.

"And ruin the first real challenge I have had in nearly five centuries. Now why would I do a fool thing like that?"

"WISEMAN NO BAKA!" screamed Ranma and Akane as they both slammed ki mallets into Purple Wiseman's head.

"Ouch," said Purple Wiseman before he pitched foreword unconscious.

"Well he needed a nap," commented Sa Fulang.

"If you weren't in a 10 year old body I think they be using you for whack a baka as well," growled Prince Demando. "I understand why you two kept this fact from us but I am not happy about it."

Sa Fulang sighed. "No, I don't imagine you are."

The Doom Phantom chuckled again. "This was going to happen in your time but here in the past you could use the active emotional ki of the city as a buffer. In some respects he is as manipulative as I would have been in his role."

"As manipulative?" asked Esmeraude before breaking into her ancestors' laugh. "From what I have seen compared to him you are amateur hour, Doom Phantom."

"Unlike your versions of us, we're not stupid or blind, Doom Phantom," said Petz twirling her staff like a baton. "We could feel the dynamic caused by the yin and yang ki evening each other out but also knew there was a reason our Advisor and Guardian were keeping quiet about it." Petz smiled. "He is right in that this is certainly more exciting then Nemesis has been in generations."

"And here I thought information was being kept for a high purpose," sighed Prince Demando.

"To cause us…all of us to improve ourselves, to have something truly challenge us. What purpose could be higher, brother?" asked Saphir.

"I don't know but this feels so…base."

"Well I grant you the situation does have disturbing moral issues," commented Rubeus, "but without the people of this time to act as a buffer you imagine how more emotionally out of it Neo-Queen Serenity would be."

"Our Wiseman wouldn't endanger people if he could avoid it but the same can't be said of this Doom Phantom one," commented Kōan. "Nor am I comfortable with this 'Sailor Pluto' given that she is the yin-yang echo of Mr. Kill Happy."

The Doom Phantom chuckled again. "You seem to have a dilemma."

"There is no dilemma," growled Neo-Queen Serenity shaking the Doom Phantom. "I go home, undo the Cleansing,…"

The Doom Phantom exploded in dark sinister laugher. "You _are_ a simplistic fool. Your Cleansing may have birthed us but it is not the source of our existence."

"No it wouldn't be if Time Gates have been aware all this time," commented Ranma looking at Pluto. "It is clear you two are not genies that can be shoved back in their bottle but that doesn't mean you can't be limited in influence."

The Doom Phantom laughed again. "You make it _sound_ so easy. But given your obsession with Sun Tzu I imagine both of you have come up with at least half a dozen methods of containing both of us. It will be amusing to see what they are and how effective they are."

Ranma gave his own dark laugh. "Oh amusing is not the word I would use. Painful is going to more like it. My future counterpart has no love for either of you and given you are pure energy pure thought I don't imagine he will have any less compulsion of using both of you as stress balls if the mood hits him then Neo-Queen Serenity has demonstrated."

"Speaking of which," commented Neo-Queen Serenity a cruel smile forming on her face. "I'm not done with either of you yet. Let's continue with the bird in the hand shall we?" WHAM WHAM WHAM.

"Uh I don't think that is a good idea," commented Ranma as the Queen of Crystal Tokyo continued to slam the Doom Phantom into the wall as if she was a human jack hammer.

"Akane's mercenary sister can put it on my undoubtedly already huge tab."

"ENOUGH!" yelled the Doom Phantom as an explosion of yin ki erupted from his body knocking the transformed Queen away. "You think a pathetic weak idealistic fool like you is even in my class?" hissed the Doom Phantom.

"I'm not idealistic any more, Doom Phantom," growled Neo-Queen Serenity. "I know I screwed up and badly. You and this mockery of Sailor Pluto are my responsibility and it is time to own up to it."

"Such anger. Such hate," cackled the Doom Phantom. "The desire to lash out at _something_. The desire to find _someone_ to blame. It is like the nectar of the kami to me."

Neo-Queen Serenity closed her eyes. "It is part of being human," she sighed.

"And that _hurts_ you," gloated the Doom Phantom. "Delicious."

Neo-Queen Serenity's eyes snapped opened and then she narrowed them. "The problem is I have no idea what to do with you. You clearly are not redeemable, misunderstood, or some catspaw as has been shown with all the other foes I ran into. You are irredeemably evil but yet I have learned without evil there can be no good."

"Evil?" asked the Doom Phantom seemingly amused by the comment. "Yes. I guess in your narrow world view I would be 'evil'. But what are 'good' and 'evil' but labels we slap on the 'other' to separate them from us? The marauding savages preventing the white man from realizing his Manifest Destiny or the noble Native American defending his land from the encroachment of invaders. Who is 'good' and who is 'evil' there, hmm?"

Neo-Queen Serenity's hands clenched and unclenched into fists.

"What?" mocked the Doom Phantom. "No prattle about how in the name of the Moon you are going to punish me?"

"I've been letting _that_ crawl around in my head?" asked Wicked Lady in disgust.

"Do some degree we all have _that_ crawling in our head," commented Ranma.

"Ah the martial artist idiot savant gives us words of wisdom."

"Yes words of wisdom," responded Ranma. "You are composed of yin energy; meaning you can only _react_ to the actions of others. You yourself admitted to reacting to Sailor Pluto coming here."

"And that helps how, oh _Wiseman_?" said the Doom Phantom slurring the last word. "Human beings that haven't been cleansed are active creatures. You can't stop me by not acting."

"But it is _how_ we act that is the key, isn't it, Doom Phantom? And I don't mean treating him or 'Sailor Pluto' as if they are more durable versions of P-chan."

"Enough talk more pounding," said Pluto as she smacked the Doom Phantom in the face with the Time Staff.

"Come on, little gaijin burakumin, you came out to fight _me_. Well here I am," smiled Pluto gesturing with her empty hand.

"Yes," hissed the Doom Phantom as he grabbed Pluto's neck. "Let me see how many times I can break your neck, Jap whore."

"Dead Scream," said Pluto softly slamming the Doom Phantom into the already damaged wall. "Is that all you have, groundling?" mocked Pluto as she slammed the Time Staff into the Doom Phantom's head.

"No that is not all I have, you little piece of boosted subhuman trash," growled the Doom Phantom. "Chaos Embrace."

Pluto was still staggering from being treated like a bug on a bug zapper when the first fist hit her gut. "Come on. You think you can take _me_?" roared the Doom Phantom as his fists pummeled Pluto.

"What is with them?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity shocked.

"Pluto is the _yang_ version of all the so called negative emotions you removed," said Ranma noting that Calaveras was slowly bringing her hand to her head. "She is composed of the _same_ emotions as Doom Phantom. Hate, anger, loathing, and so on. They are all in play in her as well."

"In play?" mocked Pluto as she swung the Time Staff at the Doom Phantom knocking him away. "This is not some game, _boy_. The little idealist Moon bitch thought she could remove us from humanity with no repercussions."

"It seems there is not that much that separates us, _Pluto_," mocked the Doom Phantom.

"Oh there is a big difference between us, you robed freak," railed Pluto smacking the Doom Phantom around some more. "You haven't been guarding the Time Gates for the last nine fucking centuries believing you couldn't leave."

"Oh no, I've been sitting in her fucking crystal because this Wiseman was the only one worth a damn but would have used me as a stress ball in heart beat," responded Wiseman as he punched Pluto in the jaw knocking her on her butt.

"Uh may I say something?" asked Calaveras nervously running her hand through her orangish hair.

"What could you add to this?" asked the pair glaring at the woman.

Calaveras smiled unpleasantly. "Just two words. DEATH SCREAM!"

Pluto and Doom Phantom found themselves embedded in the compound's wall. "I trust that got you two morons' attention?" asked Calaveras.

"Cal-chan?" asked Perz.

"I go through all the trouble of setting up things to ensure Ranma becomes Wiseman and straightens out my air headed Queen," growled Calaveras stepping toward the pair. "I make sure my rebirth as one of the Black Moon Family will happen at what appears to be a key and instead of things going as planned I find out the Cleansing produced you pair of baka!"

"Who's a baka?" asked Purple Wiseman pushing himself off the ground one of his hands clenched into a fist.

"By the time I realized that we might be on the wrong path it was too late. Luna had Usagi so driven to recreate some part of the Moon Kingdom that I risked getting Cleansed if I even tried to directly interfere," said Calaveras her back still to Purple Wiseman. "Also simply telling Ranma why he needed to go to Nemesis didn't mean he would become Wiseman; I needed him driven enough to look around and find the cave before anyone else did. I couldn't in all good conscience personally do what needed to be done but I knew the simulacra the Time Gates would form if I was dead when the Cleansing happened would do it."

"So you used your pure heart crystal to form the Grail effectively killing yourself and triggering off everything else that followed," said Neo-Queen Serenity aghast.

"Don't give me that look," chastised Calaveras. "Luna's grade A-1 paranoia would have scuttled any chance at you actually listening to me and Ranma was too combative to a personality at that point to simply look for the cave."

"You have to admit she had you both pegged," commented Sa Fulang.

"What gave you the right…" begin Pluto.

"Oh come on," interrupted Calaveras. "Where was that questioning with your first attempt at duplicating me? You are no innocent and other then the Black Moon clan none of you have hit on the _true_ crime of the Moon Kingdom…the reason the survivors are terrified we might return home."

"Oh we or that is Jadeite hit on it several weeks ago," said Usagi grimly. "The four of us agreed that no one was really ready to handle it."

"Handle it or accept it?" asked Ami narrowing her eyes.

"I see you figured it out; though I must admit we had the answer staring us right in the face ever since we found out the Black Moon Clan were the offspring of humans and youma," said Usagi her features getting darker.

"My, things have gotten interesting," Jadeite's voice said a hint of humor in it.

"I thought you were busy working on a plan of action regarding the Dark Agency," commented Usagi.

"I think we were too aggressive and frightened whoever was doing the draining into hiding as it stopped completely about three days ago," commented Jadeite. "Besides Jiji and his granddaughter wanted to help in case things went south."

"Jiji and his granddaughter?" asked Calaveras paling. "Does that mean…"

"That I finally remembered who I really am?" responded an angry female voice.

Everybody turned to see Sailor Mars her face darker then a thunderstorm. "I am in a _really_ bad mood right now," Sailor Mars said her voice tight.

"You're angry, _again_," said the Doom Phantom. "How…delicious."

"Another Wiseman?" asked Mars raising an eyebrow. "What idiot was this one in life?"

"No one and everyone, unfortunately," commented Ranma.

"He's all the 'evil' my Queen Cleansed. Wonderful," Mars closed her eyes sighing. "Does this mean that we are going to have everyone on Earth become a homicidal nutter when we reverse the Cleansing?"

The Doom Phantom laughed. "As fun as that would be, no. If your Queen is dead she can't suffer and boy do we want her to suffer."

"I imagine you might want to join in the party given what she did to you, Rei," said Pluto. "This Wiseman or rather Doom Phantom and I are yin-yang sides of the same coin. Born out of the Cleansing but powered by the Moon Kingdom's last day."

"Yes, the essence of life of eight worlds reduced to the final beats of a dying heart," cackled the Doom Phantom. "Pluto does have a point. You do have more in common with the two of us then you do with your Queen."

"If you mean that I'm not a living being well I'll deal with that latter but what she did she did out of well meant but misplaced optimism. I'm not seeing that in either of you two."

"Optimism?" laughed Pluto bitterly. "It was believing in optimism that kept me from truly analyzing my situation and seeing it for the sham it was."

"I am curious as to why you are not angrier with the reincarnated Pluto, _Wiseman_." commented the Doom Phantom looking at Purple Wiseman.

"With Ranma guiding things I knew the leftovers of the Dark Kingdom would be attracted to Nemesis and introduce him to youma society, especially the concept of Guardian," commented Calaveras.

"There are plenty of things Advisors and Clan heads would like to strangle their Guardian for," growled Purple Wiseman a blood red aura forming around him, "but can't because despite their personal feelings they know the actions have been for the good of the clan as a whole. That, the fact that is my great granddaughter's body, and that I have had to stoop nearly as low in my own Guardianship over the centuries are the only reasons I am not using you for target practice right now." Purple Wiseman clenched his left hand into a fist so tight that it drew blood. "Besides I want to hear _all_ of it."

Calaveras winced. "You mean that for the youma to breed with humans and produce fertile offspring they would have to _be_ human?"

"WHAT?!" screeched Neo-Queen Serenity, Doom Phantom, and Pluto.

"She hasn't got the _fun_ part yet," said Jadeite scowling. "Why the youma have the abilities they do."

"We…are the descendents of discarded prototypes of the Sailor Senshi, aren't we?" asked Zirconite in a soft voice.

"That is the working theory we came up with using Jusenkyo as our model," admitted Ranma.

Herb nodded thoughtfully. "I think I understand. You think that Jusenkyo was created by someone trying to do the same thing."

"Yes and they botched the job so to speak," said Jadeite. "The ki in the area is too structured too ordered for Jusenkyo to be an accident. It also indicates that the entire region is for lack of a better word… aware."

"You mean it is like me," chuckled Pluto. "A mass of ki that has as they say woken up."

"Which means we need to be very careful," said Ranma looking at the two showers. "It let us have this water for a reason."

"Oh great," commented Purple Wiseman in a joyful tone. "That means I got another piece of fun when I get home."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" asked Neo-Queen Serenity who then turned her attention to Calaveras. "But you, what you put me…all of us through…"

"Was necessary," finished Sa Fulang. "As Ran-chan noted before I'm not the same person when I go through a rebirth cycle. I can go over any of my previous lives and reevaluated them as well as the people I knew then." Sa Fulang gave a deep sigh. "If there was one trait Ranma and I shared back then it was we were egotistical idiots not willing to listen to views other then our own. Finding Sun Tzu dampened that to some degree but we were still bull headed enough that we would have gone and gotten ourselves Cleansed if 'Pluto' had not acted the way she did."

"You still don't like it," commented the Doom Phantom in a somewhat joyful tone.

"No, but there are a lot of things in life we don't like," commented Sa Fulang walking up to the Doom Phantom. "What you and Pluto represent, for instance."

"All the 'evil' emotions," chuckled the Doom Phantom.

Sa Fulang softly laughed. "No, the negative aspect of _all_ emotions."

The Doom Phantom took a step back. "How?"

"The racial and cultural slurs you two were throwing at each other. Love of one's people, of being part of the group, of not being the _other_. Pride in being superior to the _other_. Oh yes I know _exactly_ what you and Pluto really are and more importantly why you are both so human."

The Doom Phantom looked down at the ground. "So what do you have planned?"

"For you two to meet someone very special," said Purple Wiseman pulling out the Jakokusuishou. A white cloud formed around the crystal and then moved in front of Purple Wiseman where it turned into a woman dressed all in white. The woman raised one of her hands and looked at it. "Well this is different. Not sure if I like it."

"What is this?" asked the Doom Phantom in a squeaky voice.

"This is the ki Ranma has channeled through the Jakokusuishou over 1,000 years," commented the woman still looking at her hand. "Akane, Ku Lon, previous lives of Sa Fulang, and many others. We are all here. Ranma calls us Jakoku." The woman looked up and smiled cruelly at the Doom Phantom. "After the Kuno Wiseman we figured we might have to fight you but finding out you existed in our timeline…have to admit that we both missed that. But I see that the Nitwit's blundering has produced a two for one sale. This should be _fun_."

"I think that getting out of here might be…," Pluto said taking a step back and waving the Time Staff. She blinked and looked at her staff in shock when nothing happened.

"I took the liberty of temporarily turning off your teleport," smirked Jakoku. "I can't turn off _learned_ powers but all those hand me downs you bunch of boosted buffoons have been using… those are fair game."

"You mean you could have turned us off?" asked Mars.

"Well that was our theory but it turns out…"

"DEATH SCREAM!" yelled Pluto sending Jakoku through the wall.

"That I can only turn off _one_ power per Senshi," growled Jakoku from in the midst of the rubble the other side of the wall. The rubble shifted as Jakoku stood smiling the cuts and scrapes on her body showing a white glowing liquid rather than red blood. "I'm just like you two; though I was born out of _yang_ energy," commented Jakoku as a huge red mallet formed in her hands. "Want to guess what happens next?"

"Pluto no Baka?" asked Pluto weakly.

"BINGO!" giggled Jakoku as she slammed the mallet into Pluto head knocking her out cold.

"Oh kuso, now I know there are things worse then the Neo-bitch's Cleansing and Ranma using me as a practice dummy," said the Doom Phantom as he started backing away.

"From what I have seen you aren't much practice but you are right about the dummy part," grinned Jakoku as the mallet disappeared and a ball of red ki formed in her right hand. "Before I could only manifest ki blasts in human hosts and always had to be careful that I didn't burn them out. This pure ki body doesn't have those limitations."

"Suppose you do defeat me like you did Pluto, then what?" asked the Doom Phantom.

"Defeat? I only knocked her out. She is pure energy that only thinks she has human weaknesses. You and I, we know better," smirked Jakoku. "But that is all part of the _fun_."

Doom Phantom turned and bolted for the compound door only to be stopped mere feet away from it. "Why in such a hurry? We have all of time to have _fun_," commented Jakoku in his ear as she drained a part of his energy, inverted it, and shoved it back into his body.

The Doom Phantom fell to his knees as a new and yet some how familiar sensation hit him. "What? What _is_ this?"

"Based on your reaction I'd say it is our equivalent of pain," commented Jakoku. "Nice to know these bodies can feel that…means other senses are there as well. Just have to figure out how to access them."

"Chaos Embrace!" yelled the Doom Phantom as he grabbed Jakoku who simply cocked her head to one side as sparks danced all around her body.

"Is this supposed to _do_ something?" she asked.

"But…you're my opposite."

"Is _that_ what you think I am?" asked a bemused Jakoku, "just because I was born out of yang ki?" Jakoku laughed. "When I told you that we are all here I meant that literally. I got the _yin_ as well as yang aspects of all the people whose ki Ranma channeled through my crystal." Jakoku's then expression darkened as she grabbed the Doom Phantom's hooded face. "My turn."

The Doom Phantom screamed as Jakoku repeated the drain, invert, and shove back in trick she had previously used until he toppled over out cold.

"Phu, no stamina, either of them," commented Jakoku as she turned to face Neo-Queen Serenity. "And you…well Ranma showed you are a little better but not enough to be worth my while." Jakoku glanced at Mars. "I must admit I am pleasantly surprised that you didn't start blasting those two…or me."

"It was rushing in and blasting that got us killed in the first place. I may not exactly be alive in the normal sense of the word but I am not in a hurry to go to my next incarnation either."

"That and likely a lot of other things that would make Sun Tzu cringe."

**~*~*SRW*~*~**


End file.
